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THE BIRD BOYS 

ON THE WING 

OR 

Aeroplane Chums in 
the Tropics 


By 

JOHN LUTHER LANGWORTHY 



Chicago 

M. A. DONOHUE & COMPANY 



Copyright 1912. 

M. A. Donohue & Company. 

ALL BIGHTS RESERVED. 



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Electrotyped, Printed and Bound by 
M. A. Donohue & Co. 



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The further trials and triumphs of the ven- 
turesome aeroplane lads are set forth in a 
particularly thrilling manner in the third vol- 
ume of this series, now on sale everywhere, and 
which is entitled, ‘‘The Bird Boys Among the 
Clouds; or, Young Aviators in a Wreck/’ 



CONTENTS 


Chapter. Page. 

I. Oh the Way Back From the Game 7 

II. Frank's Way 18 

III. Something About the Bird Boys 29 

lY. A Startling Discovery 38 

V. A Warm Five Minutes 47 

VI. In Search of a Clue 56 

VII. Andy Eeceives a Shock 65 

VIII. The Message 74 

IX. Under Troubled Skies 85 

X. Xipped In the Bud 96 

XL Out OF THE Frying Pan Into the Fire .. . 107 

XII. A Great Surprise 118 

XIII. The ^^Devil-Bird” 129 

XIV. The Airship Launched at Last 140 

XV. An Unpleasant Surprise 151 

XVI. The Air Chase 160 

XVII. The Camp In THE Tropical Jungle 169 

XVIII. When Frank Stood Guard 178 

XIX. Firebrands and Jaguars 186 

XX. The Aeroplane Boys Once More Afloat. 195 

XXL The Last Little Hot Air Balloon 206 

XXII. Eescued 217 

XXIII. Homeward Bound — Conclusion 227 



The Bird Boys on the Wing; 

or 

Aeroplane Chums in the Tropics 


CHAPTER I. 

ON THE WAY BACK FEOM THE GAME. 

‘^But the Bird boys won the prize of a silver 
cup!’’ 

^‘What if they did? It was by a hair’s 
breadth, Mr. Smarty!” 

^^And their monoplane was proven to be 
faster than the big biplane you built, Puss 
Carberry !” 

^ ^ Oh ! was it ? Don’t you be too sure of that, 
Larry!” 

^‘Didn’t it land on the summit of Old 
Thunder Top ahead of you and Sandy, in the 
race that afternoon? Tell me that!” and 
Larry Geohegan bristled up to the recognized 
bully of Bloomsbury, while a dozen fellows 
clustered around on the deck of the big power 
boat, listening eagerly to this war of words. 

They were on their way home from a very 

7 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


exciting game of baseball that bad been played 
at Cranford, across the lake. And after ten 
innings of hot work the nine from Blooms- 
bury had won. But not until they had changed 
pitchers, upon tying the score in the ninth, 
after coming up from behind. 

Puss and Larry both wore the uniform of 
the home players, and there were others on 
the boat who also belonged to the team. In 
fact, the staunch vessel had been placed at the 
disposal of the baseball club for this day, by 
Commodore Elliott, the rich owner. 

Larry had never been one of the adherents 
whom Puss could call upon to back him up 
when he tried conclusions with a hostile fac- 
tion; in fact, Larry had always been an 
admirer of Frank Bird, who was recognized 
as the most persistent rival the bully had ever 
encountered in his whole career since coming 
to Bloomsbury. 

Puss allowed a contemptuous expression to 
take possession of his face, and even shrugged 
his broad shoulders, after a nasty fashion he 
had, that often angered the one he was argu- 
ing with more than words could have done. 

‘‘Aw! rats!” he said, in a disagreeable, 
rasping voice. “Everybody knows that I’d 
won that same race only for trouble with my 
engine. Frank was lucky, just like he gen- 


ON THE WAY BACK. 


9 


erally is when he goes in for anything. Look 
at him today, being called in to pitch in the 
tenth! We had ’em badly rattled, and they 
were on the toboggan sure. Yet Frank, the 
great hero, gets credit for winning that game. 
Didn’t the Bloomsbury crowd cheer him to 
the echo, though, and want to ride him on 
their shoulders? Wow! it makes me sick, to 
see such toadyism!” 

‘‘What’s all this big noise about, fellows? 
Didn’t I hear my name mentioned?” asked a 
tall lad with a frank face and clear brown 
eyes, as he pushed forward. 

It was Prank Bird himself, who had been 
talking with his cousin Andy, and several 
other fellows, in the bow of the launch, and 
by accident heard the voices that were raised 
in dispute. 

Percy Carberry, known among his com- 
rades simply as “Puss,” did not flinch when 
he found himself face to face with the boy he 
detested so thoroughly. They had never as 
yet actually come to blows ; but Puss believed 
that his muscular powers were far superior 
to those of his more slender rival, and just 
now he was in a particularly bitter frame of 
mind. 

“Oh! so you’re there, are you?” he 
sneered. “I was just telling your good friend 


10 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


Larry here that I considered you a greatly 
overrated substitute pitcher; and that luck 
had as much to do with our winning that 
game today as anything you did.” 

Frank Bird laughed in his face. 

‘^Sure,” he declared, cheerily. ‘‘1 was a 
mighty small factor in the victory, for I only 
played in one short inning. If I’d faced those 
hard hitters of Cranford nine times I reckon 
it’d be hard to tell what they’d have done to 
my poor inshoots and curves.” 

‘‘But you held them in that inning, Franks 
you know you did!” cried Larry. 

“Mere accident, my boy. Happened to be 
the weak end of their batting list!” observed 
Frank, as if determined to agree with his 
enemy, and thus spike his guns. 

“Is that so?” demanded “Elephant” Small, 
who did not happen to be on the nine, because 
of his customary slow ways. “Perhaps you’ll 
be saying that dandy two-bagger you whanged 
out, that brought in the winning run, was also 
an accident?” 

“Well, I must have just shut my eyes, and 
struck. I seem to remember hearing a sound 
like a shot, and then they all yelled to me to 
run; so I did, going on to second in time to 
see Peterkin gallop home,” and Frank looked 
as sober as a judge as he said this. 


ON THE WAY BACK. 


11 


The others saw the joke, however, and, led 
by Larry, burst out into a laugh that made 
Puss and his loyal backers scowl. 

‘‘If that bingle was an accident, don’t we 
wish we had a few more players who could 
shut their eyes and meet Frazer’s terrible 
speed balls and curves in the same way!” one 
fellow exclaimed. 

“So say we all of us!” another cried. 

Puss realized that the majority on board 
the Siren were against him. But he was not 
given to taking water; even his enemies, and 
he had many in Bloomsbury, could hardly say 
that Puss was lacking in a certain kind of 
grit ; while stubbornness he possessed in abun- 
dance. 

So he just shut his white teeth hard to- 
gether, and looked scowlingly around the 
bunch of fellows. And many of them felt a 
little chill when those cold gray eyes rested 
upon them; for they knew of old what hap- 
pened when Puss Carberry made up his mind 
to mark a boy for future attention. 

Frank still stood there by the side of the 
boat, smiling. Perhaps his very apparent 
unconcern served to make the other still more 
angry. There had been bad blood between 
these two lads for a long time, and more than 


12 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


once it threatened an eruption, which some- 
how or other had up to now been stayed. 

Although some weeks had passed since the 
much-talked-of race between the rival aero- 
planes, piloted by these two boys, in which 
Frank took his little craft up to the lofty sum- 
mit of Old Thunder Top ahead of Puss in his 
biplane, as narrated in the first volume of this 
series, entitled ‘‘The Bird Boys; or. The 
Young Sky Pilot’s First Air Voyage,” the 
latter had never ceased to feel ugly over his 
defeat. 

As usual he had what he considered a good 
excuse for his arriving second; but few per- 
sons ever knew how Puss and his helper 
Sandy had tried to injure Frank’s airship 
when it was directly beneath them, by deliber- 
ately dropping a sand bag, taken along, singu- 
larly enough, as “ballast,” but with this very 
idea in view. 

“Seems to me you’ve gotten the big head 
ever since you happened to drop on that rocky 
plateau on top of the mountain just three little 
seconds ahead of me, Frank Bird!” he said, 
with a steely glitter in his eyes that those who 
knew him best understood to mean coming 
trouble. 

“Oh! I hope not, Puss,” replied the other, 
with a smile. “I give you my word my hat 


ON THE WAY BACK. 


13 


fits me just as comfortably as ever. It was a 
close race, and the one who got there first 
hadn’t much to crow about, for a fact. We 
happened to be lucky not to have any trouble 
with our new little Kinkaid engine, that was 
all.” 

‘‘Huh!” grunted his cousin Andy, shaking 
his head, and scowling at Puss in turn. “But 
we had plenty of other sorts of trouble, all the 
same, sand bags full of it, in fact. They just 
rained down on us ; but then Prank knows how 
to check up his engine suddenly, and the storm 
passed by without any hurt 1” 

Some of the fellows, who happened to know 
what this sly reference on the part of the hot- 
headed Andy meant, began to chuckle. Of 
course such a thing would only serve to make 
Puss more angry. He chose to believe that 
they were all only trying to bait him. 

Frank in particular came in for his dark 
looks. And Larry, who had once run in the 
same company as Puss, so that he knew his 
whims better than many others, took occasion 
to give Frank Bird a sly nudge in the side, as 
he whispered: 

“Look out for him. Prank; he’s getting 
near the danger point, sure!” 

But Frank did not have to be warned. He 
had grown tired of warding off this ever 


14 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


threatening danger of a broil with Puss Car- 
berry. Like his cousin Andy, the other had 
no father; and his wealthy mother had long 
since given up in despair the idea of control- 
ling the headstrong lad. So that Puss had 
his way, whenever he wanted to do anything 
out of the ordinary. 

Because Mrs. Carberry was one of his 
father’s patients, and Dr. Bird esteemed her 
very highly. Prank had postponed the reckon- 
ing just as long as he could endure the insults 
of the bully. But he believed the last ditch 
had been reached, and was determined to no 
longer raise a hand to avert the threatening 
storm. 

Puss had turned when Andy spoke, to flash 
a look in his direction. But it had no effect 
upon the other, who could be as reckless at 
times as the next one. Indeed, Frank often 
had to curb the impatience and daring of his 
chum. 

‘‘Oh! that’s what sticks in your craw, does 
it, Andy Bird?” demanded Puss. “Just be- 
cause Sandy happened to drop that ballast, 
thinking we might make better time if we 
lightened ship, you choose to make all sorts 
of nasty insinuations about us wanting to 
knock you out! Shows where your mind is. 
Another fellow wouldn’t ever let such a fool 


ON THE WAY BACK. 


15 


notion get a grip on him. And you’d better 
put a reef in that tongue of yours, my boy, 
unless you want to have it get you into 
trouble.” 

Andy flared up at once, and would have 
replied ; but Frank calmly stepped in between 
the two, as though he claimed first right. 

‘‘Neither of us have charged you with in- 
tentionally trying to disable our aeroplane by 
dropping that sand bag. Puss,” he remarked 
quietly. “All we say is that it was a queer 
coincidence you wanted to get rid of your bal- 
last just when we were walking up on you 
hand over fist, and about to pass under you, 
to take the lead. That’s all!” 

Again there was a low laugh from among 
the boys who stood around listening. To them 
it was a rich treat to see the recognized bully 
of Bloomsbury baited to his very face in this 
characteristic way; and they were enjoying it 
hugely. 

“Well, let me tell you it ain’t all, not by a 
jugful!” exclaimed Puss, his face taking on 
a purple hue, as it always did when he be- 
came enraged. “Both of you fellows have got 
to stop speaking about that sand bag drop- 
ping, or there’s going to be a licking in store 
for you. See?” and he thrust his face close 
to that of Frank as he said this. 


16 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


Larry Geohegan fairly held his breath. 

‘‘Now it’s coming ; don’t I know the signs ?” 
he whispered to the boy next him. 

Frank continued to stand there, close to the 
side of the speeding launch. They were about 
half way across the deep lake at the time. 
Evening was coming on, for the sun had just 
reached the distant rugged horizon in the 
west. 

“Do you refer to me when you say that. 
Puss?” he asked, with that same queer little 
smile on his face — a look that mystified the 
other, who could not understand what it 
meant. 

“Yes, both you and that loud-mouthed 
cousin of yours. Just because luck favored 
you, and you won that blooming race by a 
head, you think I can’t manage an aeroplane 
as well as you. Huh ! perhaps you don’t know 
that I’m going to take my machine with me 
when I go down to the cocoa plantation we 
own along the Amazon, and use it exploring 
where a white man has seldom been seen. You 
can just stay here and grow up with the 
country, while I’m doing great stunts. But 
as long as I stay here I’m going to stop this 
talk about trickery and low-down dodges. 
You’re responsible for most of it, Frank 
Bird. I warn you what’s coming to you.” 


ON THE WAY BACK. 


17 


'‘Perhaps,’' said Frank, pleasantly, "you 
would be kind enough to tell me also when 
this awful punishment is going to fall on my 
poor devoted neck?” 

"Any time, hang you! Right now, if you 
say another word!” roared Puss, doubling up 
his fists, and making ready for one of his well 
known and feared buU rushes, that had 
brought him a speedy victory many a time. 

"So? That’s comforting; and with all these 
good fellows around to see how you wipe up 
the deck with me. Suppose you begin the 
swabbing act. Puss!” and Frank pretended 
[to throw himself in a position of defense. 

The other gave utterance to a hoarse cry 
of rage, and lowering his head after the 
manner of a bull, jmnped forward. But the 
agile Frank simply stepped aside ; and unable 
to check himself in time. Puss Carberry shot 
over the side of the power boat, disappearing 
in the clear waters of Sunrise Lake with a 
great splash. 

"Oh!” shouted his crony, Sandy Hollings- 
head, standing there as if petrified; "and 
Puss can’t swim a single stroke, either!” 


18 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


CHAPTER II. 

FEANK'S WAY. 

‘‘My goodness, w^hat a splash!’’ 

“Served him right, that’s what!” 

“He’s gone under, fellows! Dove just like 
n big frog!” 

‘ ‘ Stop the boat ! He ’ll drown ! ’ ’ 

Half a dozen were shouting in unison, as 
the boys crowded to the side over which the 
bully had pitched when Frank avoided his 
forward rush. 

But Frank heard only that startled ex- 
clamation from Sandy Hollingshead : 

“Puss can’t swim a single stroke, either!” 

With Frank Bird to think was to act. The 
two things were almost synonymous in his 
mind. Forgotten was the fact that the im- 
periled lad had been endeavoring to strike 
him in the face at the time of his submersion 
in the waters of Sunrise Lake. 

Not a single word did he utter, but throw- 
ing off his coat, he made a leap over the side 
of the boat, already slomng up as the power 
was cut off. 

“Frank’s gone back after him!” cried one. 

“And he’ll get him, too,” another hastened 


PRANK’S WAY. 


1^ 


to say; for they understood that when the 
leader of the team known as the “Bird boys’^ 
attempted anything he usually got there, as 
some of them said “with both feet.’’ 

Meanwhile Frank was swimming with all 
his might toward the spot in the foamy wake 
of the boat, where he knew the unfortunate 
Puss must be battling for his life. 

It seems strange that occasionally a boy 
may be found who has never taken the trouble 
to learn how to swim. In the country this is 
a rare occurrence; which would make the 
neglect of such an athletic fellow as Puss seem 
more remarkable. 

He was threshing about in the deep water 
like a cat that has fallen overboard ; and man-^ 
aging to keep partly afloat after a fashion;, 
though it would have been all over with him 
long ere the power boat could be turned 
around and arrive at the spot where he 
struggled, gasping for breath, and sucking in 
much water. 

Frank was wise enough to understand that 
it is always desirable to approach a drowning 
person from the rear, so that a grip may be 
taken before the would-be rescuer’s presence 
is discovered. Once let those frenzied fingers 
clutch hold of him, and the chances of a 
double tragedy would be good. 


20 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


So Frank was keenly on the watch as he 
swam toward the splashing and gurgling that 
announced Puss Carberry’s fight for his life. 

He could see him by now, and never would 
Frank be apt to forget the look of absolute 
terror he discovered upon the agonized face 
of the bully. Puss had detected the presence 
of some one near by, and was trying to shout, 
as well as stretch his appealing hands out, 
though not with much success. 

He actually went under while Frank looked ; 
and the heart of the would-be rescuer almost 
stood still with a terrible fear that that was 
the end. 

But he kept on, and in another moment a 
head once more bobbed up, with Puss thresh- 
ing the water frantically. Once he had gone 
down. According to what most people said, 
he would possibly vanish twice more, and after 
that never rise again. 

[ If anything was to be done, there was no 
.time for delay. Frank was within ten feet 
of the struggling figure when it came up. He 
immediately dove, and managed to rise to the 
[surface behind Puss. Then, just as the other 
Ws floundering beneath the surface of the 
tagitated water again, Frank caught hold of 
this sweater close to his neck, and held on with 
[might and main. 


FRANK’S WAY. 


21 


He had a serious job of it, for the half - 
drowned lad made a desperate attempt to turn 
around, doubtless with the intention of throw- 
ing his arms around his rescuer. This was 
just what Frank was desirous of avoiding. He 
feimply wanted to keep the head of Puss above 
water until the boat could come and willing 
hands be stretched down to relieve him of his 
burden. 

So he kept treading water and fighting Puss 
off as best he was able. It was no easy task, 
since he still had his baseball shoes on; and 
swimming in one’s clothes is always a diffi- 
cult proposition. But Frank knew no such 
word as fail and continued to strive, keeping 
one eye on Puss and the other on the approach- 
ing power boat. 

‘^Steady now. Puss!” he kept saying, again 
and again, trying to instill some sense in the 
head of the frantic boy, who still believed he 
must be going down again. ^‘Keep your breath 
in your lungs and you’ll fioat ! Don’t kick so ; 
I’m going to hold you up till the boys come. 
It’s all right. Puss; you’re safe!” 

All the same Prank was mighty well pleased 
when the launch did swing close alongside and 
half a dozen hands reached out to clutch hold 
of them both. 

^^Puss first, fellows!” he said, with a half 


22 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


laugh. ‘ ‘ I can crawl in myself, I guess. ’ ’ But 
they would not hear of it, so willing hands 
lifted him up as soon as the other dripping 
figure had been deposited in the bottom of the 
boat. 

Frank made light of the adventure, after 
his usual style. 

^^Oh, come, let up on that!’’ he remarked, 
when some of the fellows were patting him on 
the back and calling him a hero and all such 
things that were particularly disagreeable to 
Frank. ^‘It was just a cinch to me, you know. 
I’m half a water spaniel, anyway. Besides, 
if it hadn’t been for the way I riled him. Puss 
wouldn’t have fallen overboard. Drop it, 
please.” 

By the time the boat reached the landing 
near the dock where the lake steamer touched. 
Puss seemed to have discharged his cargo of 
water, swallowed unintentionally. 

He made his appearance, with several cro- 
nies clustered about him. Frank was not the 
one to hold a grudge. Besides, he had come 
out of the affair with flying colors and had 
nothing to regret. So he strode up to Puss 
at once, holding out his hand. 

Every boy on board crowded around, eager 
to see how the bully would behave, for they 
knew his natural disposition and wondered 


FRANK’S WAY. 


23 


whether any sort of miracle had been wrought 
in his disposition because of his recent sub- 
mersion. 

‘‘I hope you’re feeling all right now, Puss,” 
Prank said, pleasantly. ‘ ‘ I wanted to ask your 
pardon for treating you so roughly ; but know- 
ing you couldn’t swim, I was afraid that if you 
closed with me we’d both go down.” 

‘‘But you struck me once right in the face, 
you coward!” exclaimed the other, as he put 
his still trembling hand up to where a bruise 
of some sort could be seen. 

“Yes, I admit it,” returned Frank, quickly; 
^‘and that was what I wanted to apologize for. 
iYou grabbed me and it was the only way I 
could break your hold. I’ve been told by life 
savers that often they have to strike a man 
and knock him senseless to save themselves 
from being dragged down. You must under- 
stand that it was no time to be particular. I 
had to save myself in order to help you!” 

The other stared hard at him. Evidently 
Puss had not yet entirely recovered after his 
close call. At any rate it was positive that he 
could not understand how he actually owed his 
very life to the speedy action of this boy whom 
he hated so bitterly. 

They saw him shake his head, much as a 
dog might that is worrying a rat. 


24 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


Well, you only undid your own dirty work. 
You pushed me in and then you got cold feet. 
For fear that I’d drown and you’d be hung 
you jumped in to do your usual grandstand act 
of hero! Didn’t I hear these softies calling 
you that right now ? No, I don’t want to touch 
your hand. Keep your friendship for those 
who can appreciate it. There’s a long account 
between us that’s going to be settled some fine 
day.” 

And with these ungrateful words Puss Car- 
berry strode ofi the boat,* surrounded by his 
cronies, who were doubtless pleased with the 
course of things. 

^^Well, did you ever hear of such base in- 
gratitude in all your born days?” exclaimed 
Larry Geohegan, making a gesture of supreme 
disgust. 

^‘And to think of the skunk saying Prank 
pushed him in!” echoed Elephant, ‘‘when he 
actually risked his life to save the cur. Ain’t 
I glad now I didn’t carry out my first impulse 
and jump after Puss, even before Prank went. 
Why, maybe he’d have even said I tried to 
drown him!” 

The idea of that proverbial slow coach of 
an Elephant ever doing anything on the spur 
of the moment was really too much for the 
rest of the boys and a general roar went up. 


FRANK’S WAY. 


‘‘Don’t bother your heads about me, fel- 
lows,” remarked Frank, quietly, when the 
laughter had ceased again. “That was just 
about the kind of treatment I should have ex- 
pected to get from Puss Carberry. Still, I’m 
not sorry I did it. Life would seem very tame 
without that schemer around to try and liven 
things up for me. But I hardly expected him 
to accuse me of pushing him in when all I did 
was to step aside and avoid a blow at his hands. 
Forget it, please.” 

He walked off vdth his cousin Andy, who 
had been boiling over at the time the rescued 
Puss made his astonishing accusation. 

“Wouldn’t that jar you some now?” re- 
marked Andy, after his customary fashion. 

“I suppose you’re referring to the way Puss 
turned on me after I went and got my base- 
ball suit wet just to give him a helping hand ?” 
laughed Frank, good naturedly. “Oh, I don’t 
bear any malice. Perhaps he was still a little 
stunned by that knock I gave him. But I 
thought he was going to get his arms around 
my neck, you see, and then it would be all 
up with us both. It worked, too, for he was 
as limp as a dishrag from that time on. Re- 
member it, Andy, in case you ever jump over 
after Puss.” 

“Me after that snake? Why, hang it, I’d 


26 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


see him in Guinea before I’d ever lift a hand 
to save him! I tell you I’d — I’d ” stam- 
mered the indignant Andy. 

^‘I don’t believe it of you,” declared his 
cousin, quickly. ‘‘You may think you’d stand 
by and see him drown, but that’s all gammon. 
I know you too well to believe you’re half as 
vindictive as you try to make out. But did 
you hear what he said about going down there 
to South America, visiting a plantation his 
mother partly owns and taking his biplane 
along with him ? ’ ’ 

Andy was all excitement now. 

“Sure I did,” he said. “And ten to one he 
learned somehow that we thought of going 
down in that region for another purpose. It 
would be just like Puss and that sneak of a 
Sandy Hollingshead to try and beat us out. 
That fellow wouldn’t mind a trip to the other 
end of the world if he thought he could get 
your goat, Prank. He hates you like poison. 
Pity you didn’t feel a cramp just when you 
were swimming to him — not enough to endan- 
ger your own life, you see, but sort of make 
you stop short.” 

“Shame on you, Andy,” remarked Frank. 
“I hope I’ll always carry myself so that I 
won’t be afraid to look at myself in a glass. 
But what do you know about that place — 


PRANK’S WAY. 


27 


didn’t he call it a cocoa plantation or some- 
thing of the kind?” 

‘‘Yes,” replied the other moodily; “I was 
told that his mother owned two-thirds of some 
such place along the Amazon or somewhere 
down there. But let them go. It’s a tremen- 
dous big country and there isn’t the least dan- 
ger that we’ll ever butt into them, if we should 
decide to take a run down.” 

“Still,” observed the taller lad, thought- 
fully, “you never can know. I’ve heard trav- 
elers say that sometimes the world seems to be 
very small; when you meet your next door 
neighbor on the top of some Swiss mountain. 
Puss may know nothing about your plans and 
this is perhaps only a coincidence, as they say. 
Since he has had such poor luck getting to 
the top of our mountains around here he wants 
to try his hand on those poor South American 
Andes.” 

Andy’s father had been a professor in one 
of the colleges, who, having taken up aeronau- 
tics, had made many balloon voyages in quest 
of scientific information, so that his name had 
become quite famous. Then, about a year be- 
fore, he had been lost when attempting to solve 
the air currents on the Panama Isthmus, where 
the government had thirty thousand laborers 
digging the big ditch. 


28 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


Nothing had ever been heard of the pro- 
fessor from the day he started from the At- 
lantic side of the isthmus, intending to cross 
the mountains and land on the Pacific beach. 
And it was becoming a positive mania in the 
mind of Andy, who lived with his guardian, 
Colonel Josiah Whympers, to some day go 
down there and foUow in the track of his lost 
father, in the hope of discovering his sad fate. 

It was with this idea in mind that he had 
united his forces with Prank’s inventive 
genius and helped build the monoplane with 
which they had won the race to the top of 
the neighboring mountain, during Old Home 
[Week at Bloomsbury. 

And every day he was thinking more and 
more of what strange things the future might 
have in store for him, if he ever started on 
that exploring venture. 


ABOUT THE BIRD BOYS. 


29 


CHAPTER III. 

SOMETHING ABOUT THE BIBD BOYS. 

‘‘How about coming over tonight?’’ asked 
Frank, as the boys halted at the gate of Dr. 
Bird’s place, where Andy had gone to get his 
wheel, since he lived some little distance away. 

“I’d like to first rate, Frank, because there 
are some things I want to talk over with you. 
But I promised Colonel Josiah to get at his 
books tonight and straighten them out. It’ll 
take me all evening, I reckon.” 

“Oh, well,” remarked Frank, “see you in 
the morning anyway. This breeze will have 
worn itself out by then, perhaps, and if we 
feel like it we can take a little trip somewhere 
in the ‘Bug,’ as you like to call our dandy 
little aeroplane.” 

“I hope so,” replied Andy, eagerly. “It’s 
been some days now since we were up, and I’m 
more than curious to find out if that new ar- 
rangement of yours is going to help us any in 
getting a quick start.” 

“Does the colonel still persist in having old 
Shea sleep outside the shed?” asked the other, 
as Andy pushed in to get his wheel out from 
under a side porch, where he had thrust it 
before starting off to the baseball game. 


80 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


‘‘Sure,” came the reply. “When Colonel 
Josiah once starts on a thing it would take 
an earthquake to stop him. I tried to tell 
him that there was no danger of our mono- 
plane being injured now that those two men 
who robbed the jewelry store were locked up 
at police headquarters, waiting for some for- 
mality to start them on the road to a ten-year 
sentence ; but he only shook his head and said 
Shea had nothing else to do and might as well 
be earning his salt.” 

The incident to which Andy referred was 
related at length in the preceding volume of 
this series, “The Bird Boys; or. The Young 
Sky Pilots’ First Air Voyage,” and had cre- 
ated a ten days’ sensation in the quiet little 
lake town of Bloomsbury. 

Two rogues had robbed the extensive jew- 
elry establishment of Mr. Leffingwell and car- 
ried off the loot in a couple of suit cases taken 
from the store. Unable to get clear away on 
account of a quick chase, they had hidden 
in the vicinity of the town. One of them, 
named Jules, had been an aviator at some time 
in his near past over in France, and learning 
that the Bird boys had built a monoplane, 
which was even then ready for a flight, they 
had attempted to steal the same, with the in- 


ABOUT THE BIRD BOYS. 


31 


tention of giving their pursuers, who were 
hunting the woods for them, the laugh. 

But their well laid plans were spoiled 
through the vigilance of the Bird boys and the 
quick wit of Frank in particular. The conse- 
quence was that both men were eventually cap- 
tured by Chief Waller and his officers and still 
languished in the town lock-up, awaiting the 
day of trial. 

‘^Oh, well!” laughed Frank, as his cousin 
wheeled his bike out to the front gate, where 
he could mount better, ^^it makes mighty little 
difference, because, from what I’ve seen of 
Shea, I imagine he sleeps on his post. I’m glad 
we didn’t let him inside, because, like all Irish- 
men, he is fond of his pipe and might have set 
fire to the shed. It’s dangerous smoking where 
there’s a lot of gasoline about.” 

‘^Of course we’ve got that Puss Carberry 
and his mean crony, Sandy Hollingshead, to 
consider. They tried to injure our machine 
once and might again, especially after what 
happened today,” said Andy, throwing one leg 
over his saddle and standing there a minute. 

^^Oh, I guess not, Andy. They understand 
that we’re keeping tabs of that hangar, with 
its precious contents. Besides, they’ve got 
their hands full of other matters, if what Puss 


32 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


said about that big trip to the Amazon country 
is true.” 

The other sighed. 

only wish I was as sure of going down 
there as Puss seems to be,” he observed. ‘‘I 
don’t know how it is, but something queer 
seems to be drawing me that way. Day and 
night I have pictures rising in my mind. I’ve 
read every scrap concerning the Isthmus and 
northern coast of South America, until I guess 
I’m as well posted on such things as one who 
had been there.” 

‘‘Yes,” said Frank, softly, “and I’m afraid 
you let your mind dwell too much on that sub- 
ject, old chum. It’s more than a year now 
since your father disappeared. And the 
chances of your ever finding what became of 
him are like searching for a lost diamond in 
the sand of the seashore. It’s affecting your 
mind, Andy. You look all fagged out. I wish 
you could cheer up and be something like your 
old self.” 

But the other only shook his head sadly. 

“I don’t believe I ever can, Frank, until I’ve 
had my chance to go down there and make a 
good try to find all that is left of my poor 
father. Just as you say, it seems almost silly 
to think that I could ever succeed, but no mat- 


ABOUT THE BIRD BOYS. 


33 


ter, IVe got it arranged in my mind and the 
colonel is coming around slowly.’’ 

^^Well,” Prank hastened to declare, ‘^you 
know if it ever does get to the point that you 
do go down to make that search, I’m with 
you. My father would never throw any ob- 
stacle in the way, I’m dead sure. And Andy, 
of course we’d take our aeroplane along. 
Think how many trips we could make in her 
over country that no one could ever penetrate 
on foot.” 

Andy was too full for further words. He 
simply turned and squeezed the hand of his 
cousin ; but the look of affection which he gave 
Prank told what was in his mind just then. 

Prank watched him go spinning along the 
road and then with a sigh turned into the 
house. 

The day had been replete with excitement 
for him. Pirst there was the keenly contested 
game with their rivals across the lake and a 
tie in the ninth inning, which gave the Blooms- 
bury boys a chance to win out in the tenth. 
His pitching had held the enemy safe, and in 
their half of the inning Prank had made the 
hit that brought the game to a conclusion. As 
a rule the home club took the last chance at 
the bat, but the Cranford manager had chosen 


34 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


differently on this occasion, for some reason of 
his own, and with disastrous results. 

Then, on the way home, had come that little 
diversion aboard the launch, when his old en- 
emy, Puss Carberry, in attempting to strike 
him, had miscalculated and gone plunging into 
the lake, himself being unable to swim. 

Frank had nothing to regret in connection 
with his leap after the struggling lad and his 
subsequent saving of Puss. True, the latter 
chose to crush down the natural spirit of grati- 
tude that should have made him accept the 
hand Frank offered later. But Frank felt that 
he could afford to smile at such an exhibition 
of a small nature. 

At the supper table his father and Janet, his 
sister, just home from boarding school a couple 
of weeks back, plied him with questions con- 
cerning the game. Of course, the girl had 
been present and had seen her brother carry 
off the honors on the diamond ; but there were 
lots of things she wanted explained. 

And before Frank knew it he was asked 
point blank what had happened on the way 
across the lake, for Janet had been aboard 
another boat, it seemed. 

‘‘Marjorie Lee told me she heard that you 
jumped overboard to save some one, she didn’t 
just know who?” was what Janet said, and 


ABOUT THE BIRD BOYS. 


35 


the good doctor pricked up his ears as he 
looked inquiringly toward the boy of whom 
he was so proud. 

Frank turned red and then laughed. 

‘‘Oh, pshaw!” he said. “I had hoped that 
would be kept quiet. But some of the fellows 
like to talk too much.” 

‘ ‘ Who was it you jumped over after ? They 
said you held him up until the boat got around 
— that he could not swim a stroke, and must 
surely have drowned only for your prompt ac- 
tion. It couldn’t have been Cousin Andy, be- 
cause he can swim nearly as well as you. Tell 
us, Frank,” J anet persisted. 

So Frank found himself compelled to relate 
the whole circumstance. In his usual gener- 
ous manner he tried to gloss over the conduct 
of Puss and spoke as though the other had 
tumbled overboard during a little boyish 
roughhouse business; but Janet knew of the 
enmity between the pair, and she could read 
between the lines. 

Frank spent a couple of hours after supper 
in poring over a book Andy had loaned him. 
And it might easily be assumed that it had to 
do with the birds, animals, fauna and inhabit- 
ants of that great country lying north of the 
equator, down in Central and South America. 

It was about nine o’clock when his father 


36 


THE BIKD BOYS. 


called to him. The doctor had just come in 
from a few last visits and looked anxious. 

‘‘Frank, I’m in a peck of trouble,” he said, 
with a whimsical smile, “and I wish you could 
help me out, though I dislike putting you to 
so much trouble.” 

“Oh, don’t mind that, dad, one little bit; 
you know I’m only too glad to be of any assist- 
ance to you. What’s gone wrong now? Ma- 
chine laid off again and garage closed? But 
you won’t need it till nine tomorrow, will 
you?” 

There was a world of affection in the very 
way Frank used that word “dad.” It might 
seem disrespectful coming from the lips of 
many boys, but to the ears of the good doctor 
it was as sweetest music. 

“That’s the trouble, Frank. I do need some 
means of getting around tonight the worst 
kind. Fact is the car broke down just as I 
got it in the yard. Same old trouble, and will 
take an hour to fix it up. And all at once 
it dawned on me that I had forgotten to take 
the medicine out to Farmer Love joy, which 
I surely promised tonight. It lies under the 
seat of the machine. Slipped my mind en- 
tirely when I was out. And Frank, there may 
be a serious turn to that child’s sickness unless 


ABOUT THE BIRD BOYS. 


37 


that medicine gets there within the next hour 
or so.” 

‘‘Don’t say another word, dad,” declared 
Frank, jumping up and getting his cap. “My 
wheel is in fine shape and with a good lantern 
I can make the run in a jiffy. Only too glad 
to be able to help out. The packet is under 
the seat in the car and you left that in the side 
yard ? All right, I’m off !” 


38 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


CHAPTER IV. 

A STAETLING DISCOVEEY 

It did not take Frank many minutes to get 
started on his little trip. 

As he had said, his wheel was in good shape, 
with neither tire needing any pumping up. 
And even his acetylene headlight had only to 
be attached, which task took but a short time. 

declare!’’ he exclaimed, as he rested his 
wheel against the gate and turned back, ‘‘that 
would have been a rough joke on me if I’d 
gone spinning off and only remembered after 
I’d almost got there that I forgot to take the 
package of medicine out of dad’s little run- 
about. So much for having my brain full of 
that wonderful scheme of Andy’s.” 

He found the medicine, and as the packet 
turned out to be small enough to be stowed 
away in one of his coat pockets, Frank so dis- 
posed of it. Then wheeling his machine out 
into the road he took a last look at the lan- 
tern, to see that the water might not be drip- 
ping on the carbide too rapidly to combine the 
greatest efficiency. After that he swung into 
the saddle, starting off with the perfect free- 
dom that proclaims the rider a master of his 
wheel. 


A STARTLING DISCOVERY. 


39 


Once lie passed out of town Frank made 
good progress. He had a ride of several miles 
before him, ere he could expect to reach the 
farmhouse of Jason Love joy, one of his fa- 
ther’s oldest customers and friends. 

There was no help from the moon, because 
the sky had clouded up and screened the young 
queen of the skies. But Frank needed no 
other light than the brilliant glow that spread 
out along the road ahead of him coming from 
his lamp. 

It happened that he passed the home of 
Colonel Josiah WhymperSy^ the retired and 
lame traveler, in whose care Andy had been 
left by the will which his father had made 
before starting on what had proven his last air 
voyage. 

‘‘Guess Andy’s gone to bed,” he mused, as 
he saw the house wrapped in darkness, for it 
was now after half past nine. 

Frank cast a glance back toward the big 
field where the shed stood in which the great 
little monoplane, in which they had won their 
victory during Old Home Week, was stored. 
But he could just barely make it out, owing 
to the distance and the faint light of the moon 
coming through the clouds. 

Naturally the hearts of both lads went out 
toward the gallant aircraft which had 


40 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


answered every call made upon it for speed 
and endurance. It was equipped with an en- 
gine of the latest make, weighing only a third 
as much as the average aeroplane motor and 
a triumph of modern scientific discovery. 
Since the Bird boys had constructed that mon- 
oplane themselves, after patterns obtained 
elsewhere, surely they had reason to be proud 
of their work and the gallant victory which 
had come to them. 

Frank pedaled on, thinking nothing of the 
trip. He was accustomed to being abroad at 
night with his wheel, and, indeed, had taken 
many a twenty-mile run by the light of his 
lamp alone. 

What was there to fear? Bloomsbury was 
a peaceful community. Barely did anything 
occur to indicate that a spirit of lawlessness 
was abroad. Occasionally the police had some 
trouble with wandering tramps, but Chief 
Waller’s strong point seemed to lie in that 
direction, and as a rule hoboes gave Blooms- 
bury a wide berth. The word had gone out 
that they made stragglers work when caught 
there, and nothing could be more horrible in 
the eyes of these ‘^Wandering Willies.” 

'After passing Andy’s home it was not more 
than twelve minutes before Prank found him- 


A STARTLING DISCOVERY. 


41 


self approaching the quiet farmhouse where 
he was to leave the medicine. 

The doctor had told him to ask a number 
of questions with regard to the little sufferer, 
and Frank was well enough up in medicine 
to know what to say when he learned how 
matters were going. 

A big watchdog boomed his hoarse bark 
upon the night air, as Frank dropped off his 
wheel at the gate where the mail box was fas- 
tened. 

‘‘Hello, Kaiser! Good dog! Don’t you 
know me, old fellow? Come here and be 
friends, Kaiser! It’s all right! I’m com- 
ing in!” 

Frank knew how to use a wheedling voice 
that a dog instantly recognized as belonging 
to a friend. Besides, instinct doubtless told 
Kaiser that any one who had evil intentions 
would come sneaking around and not in this 
bold fashion. 

At any rate, the big mastiff began to wag 
his tail, and though he still barked, it was by 
way of a welcome now. Frank fearlessly 
opened the gate and walked in. The guardian 
of the farm came up to him, snifiing, and 
Frank, without hesitation, rubbed his hand 
over the shaggy head of Kaiser. 

So side by side they advanced to the house. 


42 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


Already a door had opened, showing Farmer 
Love joy with a lamp in his hand. Evidently 
they had been anxiously waiting for the coming 
of the good doctor, and were possibly begin- 
ning to worry because he had failed as yet to 
show up with the medicine he had promised. 

‘‘It’s you, Frank, is it?” asked the farmer, 
as the lad drew near the stoop. 

“Yes, sir,” replied the boy, cheerily. “His 
machine broke down and I had to come on my 
wheel. But father said it was very important 
that you have this medicine tonight. He ex- 
pects great things of it by morning.” 

“Well,” said Farmer Love joy, warmly, 
“that was right nice of you to come all this 
way on your wheel, Frank. But I guess it’s 
on’y what we’d expect from Boc Bird’s boy. 
I saw ye make that trip up to the top of the 
mountain in your airship, Frank. I tell ye 
it was wuth seein ’ ! Won ’t you come in ? The 
missus ’d like to see ye.” 

“Why, yes, I will; because dad asked me to 
explain something to you and also get some 
information about Sue. A few minutes will 
make little difference,” Frank said. 

But, although he did not suspect it just then, 
even seconds came very near being of the great- 
est importance. 

Perhaps he spent all of ten minutes in the 


A STARTLING DISCOVERY. 


43 


Love joy home and in that time learned what 
his father wished to know. The old farmer 
came to the door with him, shaking hands 
warmly. 

‘‘Once again I say I’m obliged to ye, 
Frank,” he remarked, with feeling, “for corn- 
in’ away out here to fetch the medicine. It 
may be the means of savin’ our gal to us, who 
knows? But I’ve got faith in your father. 
If anybody kin fetch our Sue around he will. 
Good night, lad. Kaiser, mind your manners. 
This is one of the best friends we’ve got.” 

“Oh, that’s all right, sir,” declared Frank, 
quickly, as he patted the shaggy head of the 
big mastiff. “We understand each other, 
don’t we, old boy ? He knew my voice, because 
a dog never forgets a friend, and I’ve played 
with him many the time. Good night, Mr. 
Love joy. Keep up your spirits. Dad says 
Sue is going to get over this all right in a 
little time.” 

Once again on the road he turned his face 
toward home. After all, this six or seven- 
mile run was only a good touch of exercise, 
and he would sleep all the sounder on account 
of it. Besides, Frank loved nothing better 
than to do something for the parent who all 
his life had been so indulgent to him. 

As he pedaled along, keeping his eyes well 


44 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


ahead, so as to glimpse any vehicle that might 
loom up in his path, he was thinking of what 
Andy had in mind. While the project was as 
yet rather uncertain, Frank seemed to feel 
that his cousin could never be wholly satisfied 
that he had done his duty by his father until 
he had spent some time down on the Isthmus 
trying to get some traces of the lost aeronaut. 

‘‘I reckon I ought to know something of 
Andy’s persistence,” he said to himself, with 
a chuckle. ‘^And now that he’s got this bee 
in his bonnet there’ll be no peace until he tries 
the scheme out. Sure I’m with him from the 
word go. It makes me shiver all over with 
expectation just to think of what glorious 
times we two chums might have — hello ! there’s 
something ahead, and I’d better slow up!” 

It proved to be a farm wagon, pulled by 
two tired nags, and headed for home, after a 
day in the town market. The driver was asleep 
on the seat, leaving to the sagacity of his ani- 
mals the successful navigation of the road. 

Perhaps some movement of the horses or 
else the bright light of the acetylene headlight 
falling on his face aroused the man, for he 
sat up as Frank was about passing. 

Hello! is that you, Frank Bird?” he asked, 
leaning forward to look closer at the rider of 
the bicycle. 


A STARTLING DISCOVERY. 45 

^‘Sure; just been up to your neighbor’s, 
Lovejoy’s, with some medicine for his Sue,” 
returned the boy, recognizing the farmer. 

‘‘How is the gal gettin’ on?” called the 
other, over the canvas top of his seat. 

“Pine. No danger, dad says!” answered 
Prank. 

“That’s good!” he heard the sympathetic 
neighbor remark, as he moved on. 

Pive minutes later and Prank once more 
found himself approaching the Whympers 
place. As before, the house was in complete 
darkness, as if the inmates were long since 
abed. Prank knew that the old man kept early 
hours, seldom sitting up, for he read much 
during the day, having nothing else to look 
after. 

Then, as was only natural, the eyes of the 
bicycle boy turned once again with more or 
less affection toward the quarter where he 
could just dimly make out the long, squat shed 
out in the field, in which the precious mono- 
plane was stored. 

As he did so Prank uttered an exclamation 
of surprise. 

“Why, there’s a light over by the hangar!” 
he burst out. “Now, what under the sun do 
you suppose that old fool of a Shea can be 
doing ? Oh, my ! Look at the flame jump up ! . 


46 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


Why, as sure as you live I believe the shed’s 
afire ! And I can see the figure of a man mov- 
ing about. This is no accident, but something 
worse ! And it looks as if the little ‘Bug’ might 
be going up in smoke in a jiffy unless I can 
sprawl over the fence here and get on the 
spot mighty quick !” 


A WARM FIVE MINUTES. 


47 


CHAPTER V. 

A WAEM FIVE MINUTES. 

^‘Firel Fire!” 

So Frank shouted, even as he jumped over 
the fence, and made a bee line for the center 
of the big field, where the shed lay in which 
the precious monoplane was stored. 

He had hastily leaned his bicycle against the 
fence as he made the plunge. Nor did he cease 
to let out constant yells while running across 
the open as fast as his agile legs could carry 
him. Twice he tripped over some object and 
nearly fell, only to recover himself and 
speed on. 

As he ran he kept his eyes upon the low 
building beyond. In this manner he plainly 
saw the stooping figure of a man or boy mak- 
ing off in a roundabout way so as to avoid 
him. 

Frank’s heart was burning with indignation 
because of this dastardly attempt to ruin the 
gallant little airship that had so nobly stood 
all tests and proven itself a splendid piece of 
workmanship. 

‘ ^ Oh, the contemptible coward ! I ’d just like 
to chase after him and get my hands on him 


48 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


once!” was the thought that passed through 
his brain. 

But he knew he could not. The scoundrel, 
no matter who it was, must be allowed to es- 
cape in order that he turn his attention to the 
burning shed and try to save the airship from 
destruction. Once the fire got inside, there 
was enough of the dangerous gasoline about 
to insure the speedy burning of the whole 
flimsy fabric, all but the motor itself. 

So Frank kept headed straight for the han- 
gar, trying to shut out the sight of that crouch- 
ing, fieeing figure. He continued to lift his 
sturdy young voice in repeated shouts : 

‘‘Fire! Fire!” 

Those in the house must hear ; yes, and the 
neighbors, too. He might not be able to mas- 
ter the fiames alone and single handed, and 
would need help. Besides, it was only right 
that Andy, being part owner in the monoplane, 
should be made aware of its sudden peril. 

As he thus drew near the low building he 
saw that the fire had already gained consid- 
erable headway, just as if the incendiary 
might have used kerosene or some other in- 
flammable fluid, to hasten matters. 

Frank’s heart grew cold as ice as lie con- 
templated the rapidity with which those hun- 


A WARM FIVE MINUTES. 


49 


gry flames were crawling up the dry boards 
that constituted the side of the shed. 

But he did not lose his head in this sudden 
crisis. It was characteristic of Prank Bird 
that, no matter what the emergency, he was 
always cool enough to think out the proper 
thing to be done or else jiunp at it though 
instinct. 

And Frank had foreseen just some such pos- 
sible need as this. He even kept several buck- 
ets of moist sand handy, where it could be 
snatched up at a second’s warning, knowing 
that most flres can be smothered, when quench- 
ing them with water is out of the question. 

‘^The buckets!” he gasped, as he arrived 
close to the building, one part of which was 
now fairly covered with the creeping tongues 
of ruddy fire. ‘ ‘ I must use them on it ! ” 

He had to turn the corner of the shed to get 
to where they stood. And as he did so he ran 
plump into a figure that was coming toward 
him. Just in time did Frank dodge a big fist 
that shot out. And in that second he recog- 
nized in the other Shea, the Irishman who had 
been hired to keep watch of the shed. 

^‘Hold on. Shea!” shouted Frank. ‘Ht’s 
me, Frank Bird. Somebody has set fire to 
the shed ! Grab up a bucket of sand and carry 


50 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


it around here. We can put it out yet if we’re 
busy!” 

Shea had evidently only been aroused from 
a sound sleep by the approaching cries of the 
boy and was still in a daze. He had discov- 
ered the fire, and hearing Frank running to- 
ward him, supposed that this must be the one 
who had done the evil deed. 

But he had sense enough to do as he was 
told now, snatching up one of the sand buckets 
and following the boy. Frank immediately 
commenced fighting the flames with a vim. He 
slapped the wet sand at the creeping fire, and 
wherever it struck there seemed to come a 
quick abatement of the conflagration. But it 
was by this time so extended that as fast as 
he succeeded in knocking it out in one place 
it cropped up afresh somewhere else. 

His ammunition would not last if this 
kept up. 

‘‘Get busy. Shea!” he cried. “Find some- 
thing and slap at the fire for all you’re worth! 
Fight it, man, fight it!” 

As Frank happened to turn his head to learn 
what the other was doing he saw something 
that made very little impression on his mind 
just then, but which had considerable bearing 
on the matter later. 

A light was speeding along the road, head- 


A WARM FIVE MINUTES. 


51 


ing away from town, and Frank realized that 
the firebug had seized upon his convenient 
wheel and was making his escape. 

Later on he might figure out the meaning 
of this movement. Just then he really had no 
time to give it a thought, no matter if a dozen 
wheels were concerned. The fire demanded 
every atom of his attention. 

Shea did get busy. Once he became stirred 
up, and he proved a valuable helper. He went 
for the flames tooth and nail, smothered them 
with his coat, regardless of consequences, after 
he had slipped that article of wearing apparel 
off ; kicked and tore and fought until it became 
evident that between them they were certainly 
making a decided impression on the threaten- 
ing conflagration. 

All this while it seemed to Frank that his 
heart was in his throat. Not so much because 
he feared that they would fail to gain the mas- 
tery over the fire as that some spark might 
find ingress to the shed and happen to alight 
upon a can of the dangerous gasoline. 

If such a thing occurred he knew that it 
would be all over. The hangar must be com- 
pletely destroyed and, of course, their little 
darling airship would share in its fate. 

So, even though he saw the end of the con- 
flagration in sight, Frank knew he had no rea- 


52 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


son to breathe easily until every spark had 
been trampled under foot. 

By now he was conscious of loud shouts com- 
ing from points near at hand and realized 
that doubtless Andy as well as others had been 
awakened by the racket and were coming on 
the run to assist. Had the safety of the air- 
ship depended on their reaching the shed in 
time, though, its chances would have been next 
to nothing. 

Frank was just stamping on what seemed 
to be the very last vestige of the fire when 
Andy came galloping to his side. 

‘‘W- what’s all this mean, Frank? Where 
in the wide world did you come from, and who 
set our hangar afire?” he gasped, almost wind- 
ed from his exertions, for he had dressed in 
about a minute, despite his trembling fingers, 
and was barefooted even then. 

‘‘Don’t know who did it, but he ran off on 
my wheel a few minutes ago. I was on the 
way home — carrying medicine to Susie Love- 
joy. Saw flames and gave alarm. Got here 
on the jump and we managed to get the better 
of it. But it was a close shave, all right, I tell 
you, Andy!” 

Frank himself had no breath to spare, nor 
could it be wondered at, considering the recent 


A WARM FIVE MINUTES. 


53 


valiant fight which he had made against big 
odds. 

the ornery skunks did try to burn us 
out, after all!” burst forth the other part 
owner of the monoplane, bitterly. ^‘Say, 
where was Shea all this time ? What use was 
he as a watchman?” 

‘^He helped me good and hard at any rate. 
Only for Shea I’d never have got the better of 
it, I’m afraid,” said Frank, always ready to 
cover up any little failing on the part of an- 
other, though never hesitating to denounce his 
own shortcomings. 

^‘But just to think of the meanness of it 
all,” continued Andy, shaking his head in the 
aggressive way he had. ‘ ‘ That Puss Carberry 
ought to be shut up behind bars, that’s my 
opinion straight from the shoulder, and if I 
could only find out for sure that he was in this 
I’d get Colonel Josiah to prosecute him to the 
limit.” 

^‘But we have no proof that it was Puss,” 
remarked Frank. ‘‘The fellow who stole my 
wheel went off along the road away from town. 
And he went licketty split, too, as if he had 
business over in Shelby or Newtown. Per- 
haps it was only a hobo. He may have started 
the fire by accident, and was trying to put it 


54 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


out when I saw him first. Then, when I 
shouted, of course, he had to scoot.” 

^‘What’s this?” demanded Andy, kicking 
some object, and then seizing hold of his foot, 
for he had forgotten that he had no shoes on. 

Frank uttered a cry and picked it up. 

‘‘Look here, don’t you recognize this?” he 
asked, as he held a can up. 

It was Andy’s turn to give vent to a low 
exclamation. 

“Why, it’s our kerosene can, Frank!” he 
said. 

“That’s what I thought. And it is kept on 
a bench just outside the kitchen door, isn’t it ?” 
demanded the other, quickly. 

“That’s a fact. And neither of us ever 
brought it here. Shea, did you ever see this 
oil can before?” and Andy dangled it before 
the eyes of the watchman who had slept on 
his post. 

“I niver did the same, sor,” replied the man, 
as he surveyed the can*. 

“Then that settles it, Frank. The mean 
skunk grabbed that can and fetched it over 
here to spray the wall of the shed with oil and 
making the fire jump.” 

“True as you live,” said the other. “Do 
you know, I thought I smelled burning kero- 
sene. And that was why the flames kept crawl- 


A WARM FIVE MINUTES. 


55 


ing Tip everywhere so fast. Well, it was a 
good job that we saved the place. And ain’t 
I glad I didn’t wait just five minutes longer 
at Lovejoy ’s place. Nothing could have helped 
then, and we’d just have to build another air- 
ship. But here comes the colonel stumping 
along, Andy I’’ 


56 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


CHAPTER VI. 

IN SEAECH OF A CLUE. 

^‘Heigho! what’s all this fuss and feathers 
about?” demanded the old retired traveler, as 
he came limping along, with his crutch and 
cane. 

Several neighbors accompanied him, having 
been aroused by the clamor. 

‘‘Same old story, sir,” remarked the disgust- 
ed Andy, still clutching his bruised toe tender- 
ly. “They’ve been trying to beat us one way, 
if they couldn’t another.” 

Frank gave him a nudge. 

“Be careful what you say, Andy,” he re- 
marked. “There is no proof as yet that any 
one we knew had a hand in this business. You 
may get in trouble if you mention names off- 
hand. Go slow now. We’ll find out the truth 
later on, perhaps.” 

So Andy, taking heed, managed to tell what 
had happened without directly accusing any 
one. Nevertheless, it was not difiicult for those 
who listened to guess where his suspicions lay. 
And perhaps they thought, after all that had 
occurred in the past, with the hand of Puss 


IN SEARCH OF A CLEW. 


57 


Carberry moving the pieces on the chessboard, 
that Andy was justified in believing as he did. 

After a while the excitement died away. 
The boys had opened the shed and made sure 
that no lingering spark remained to threaten 
their beloved little aeroplane with destruction. 
But it was all right and they feasted their 
eyes on it, as if they never before realized how 
precious it had become. 

^‘Getting to be a regular thing, seems to 
me, these night alarms, boys,’’ remarked one 
of the neighbors, for not long before they had 
been aroused in the middle of the night when 
the two jewelry thieves tried to steal the aero- 
plane and were baffled in their design by the 
two boys, sleeping at the time in the shed, so 
as to guard their flying machine. 

‘‘If one watchman ain’t enough I’ll get 
three — ^half a dozen if necessary,” declared 
Colonel Josiah, as he glared at the offending 
Shea and pounded on the turf with his heavy 
cane. “But these lads are going to be pro- 
tected, if it takes my last dollar. I’ll get a 
Gatling gun and train it here, so we can blow 
the rascals to smithereens if they try such a 
dastardly job again.” 

But everybody knew that the genial old 
colonel did considerable talking and bluster- 
ing, but was harmless withal. 


58 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


Shea promised to remain awake the balance 
of the night. He even went to the house and 
armed himself with a big horse pistol that the 
colonel owned and which had many a story 
connected with its keeping company with the 
traveler in foreign lands. 

‘‘Huh! I’ve got half a notion to camp right 
here again, like we did that other time, 
Frank,” said Andy, before they locked the 
wide doors of the shed. ‘‘Here’s my cot and 
blankets, you see, just as I left ’em.” 

“No need of that, Andy,” returned his 
chum, smiling. “After all this rumpus you 
couldn’t hire that fellow to come back here 
tonight. He may be ten miles away by now. 
Wonder if that’s the last I’ll see of my 
wheel?” 

“Now,” continued Andy, “if you’re address- 
ing that to me I’d like to prophesy that you’ll 
find the bike somewhere off the road a mile 
or two away, where the fellow pitched it when 
he concluded to make a sneak 'bach to town.” 

“There you go, barking up that same tree 
again. I never saw such a positive fellow as 
you are,” declared the other, smiling. “Your 
name ought to be Thomas, for you seem to 
doubt everything that you can’t just under- 
stand.” 


IN SEARCH OF A CLEW. 


59 


‘‘Well, if not Puss, who, then?’’ demanded 
Andy, aggressively. 

“I confess that I don’t know at this min- 
ute,” admitted Frank. “But I hope to dis- 
cover the truth in some way. Remember how 
that other time, when some one tried to in- 
jure us by sneaking in here and cutting the 
canvas wings of our monoplane all to flinders, 
I picked up a playing card and we afterwards 
traced it to the owner ? 

“Yes,” cried the other, instantly, “and 
wasn’t that party Puss Carberry all right?” 

“It sure was,” laughed Frank. “But for- 
get this thing for now. Perhaps tomorrow we 
may be able to find some clue that will tell 
which way the wind blows — ^it might be the 
print of a shoe in the earth or something like 
that. Lots of ways to pick up information, 
if only you keep your wits at work.” 

“Yes,” returned Andy, “and if it’s Frank 
Bird who’s doing the thinking. But perhaps 
it would be silly in me sleeping out here to- 
night. I ’d better be traipsing back to bed right 
now, because, you see, I’m only half dressed and 
it’s chilly.” 

“Good. I’ll see you to the house, because 
I’ve got to walk home, now that my wheel has 
gone up the flume,” remarked Frank. 

“What’s the matter with you using mine?” 


60 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


demanded the other. ^‘That plug you put in 
holds dandy, and there’s nothing the matter 
with it right now. Same old place, under the 
side porch here. Guess the lamp is on the bum, 
but you hardly need that. If a cop holds you 
up, explain what happened.” 

^‘All right, I guess I might as well ride as 
walk. But I hope I get my wheel back. It’s 
nearly new, you know, and cost a heap,” Frank 
remarked, as he dove under the stoop, to pres- 
ently appear dragging the other bicycle. 

‘‘Apply to Puss and Company for further 
information,” called Andy, holding the door 
open a crack to shoot the words out and then 
closing it. 

Frank, laughing at the obstinate ways of 
his chum, pushed the machine out to the road 
and was soon moving along. Evidently he 
lacked the same confidence in Andy’s wheel 
that he felt in his own, for he made no attempt 
to speed as he went toward town and home. 

Fortunately he met no policeman, who might 
ask impertinent questions as to just why he 
was riding after dark without a light. And 
reaching home he found his father sitting up 
in his office waiting to hear his report. 

Dr. Bird was quite satisfied with what 
Frank had to say in regard to the condition 
of the sick girl. He knew that the boy was 


IN SEARCH OP A CLEW. 


61 


well up in medicine, even though he had never 
tried to push him in the least. Frank gave 
evidence of being what is known as a ‘‘natural 
born doctor,’’ keenly alive to everything per- 
taining to surgery. More than once he had set 
broken limbs for dogs and cats and done it in 
a manner that aroused the warmest praise 
from his father, who, deep down in his heart, 
knew the boy had it in him to become a famous 
surgeon, if he kept along in this path when he 
came to take up his life pursuit. 

Frank believed he ought to tell about the 
dastardly attempt to destroy the monoplane. 
And, of course, the good doctor, who always 
thought the best of people, was horrified to 
hear his story. 

He shook his head sadly after Frank had 
finished. 

“I don’t know what people are coming to 
nowadays,” he remarked. “No matter who 
did that mean act, it was wicked. Man or 
boy, he ought to be severely punished for it. 
The rights of property seems to be getting 
less respect every year. It puzzles me to lay 
the blame for this spirit at the right door. 
But things were not so in my young days, 
Frank. We live in fast times, my boy, fast 
times!” 

Frank thought so himself, as he went off to 


62 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


his room. Imagine his father, some forty 
years ago, ever dreaming of building an air- 
ship and speeding through the upper currents, 
perhaps thousands of feet above the earth, at 
the rate of a mile a minute! And yet that 
was what he and Andy had been doing, think- 
ing nothing of the feat, as they became accus- 
tomed to its performance. 

Fast times, indeed ! 

Frank did not allow the startling incidents 
of the night to keep him awake. He knew 
just how to get a grip on himself and put all 
these things out of his mind, once his head 
touched the pillow. 

Time enough in the morning to begin worry- 
ing about that lost wheel and trying to figure 
out who the firebug could have been. 

At breakfast Frank had to go over the whole 
story again for the benefit of J anet, who had 
heard enough about it from the doctor before 
her brother came down to whet her appetite 
for more. 

Frank could see that she shared the sus- 
picions entertained by Andy. Janet knew 
Puss Carberry of old and despised him most 
heartily. At one time he had taken a great lik- 
ing to Frank’s pretty sister, but when she 
learned what his nature was Janet had cut 
him dead on the street. And from that day 


IN SEARCH OP A CLEW. 


63 


on she had believed Puss capable of almost 
anything. 

‘^Even after you saved his life yesterday, 
too!” she exclaimed, indignantly. 

‘^Hold on there, sis,” cried Prank, laughing. 
^‘You’re as bad as Andy, who is ready to con- 
demn on general principles. We haven’t got 
a scrap of evidence to prove Puss guilty. Just 
as like as not he would show an alibi if we 
accused him of it, and prove that he was at 
home all evening. So please don’t mention his 
name to anybody or I may get in a scrape.” 

^‘But you’re going to find out, aren’t you?’^ 
demanded Janet. 

‘‘I surely hope to, and recover my poor bike 
in the bargain. Luckily I’ve got my name and 
address scratched on the underpart of the 
frame, if the finder only takes the trouble to 
look. And now I’m off downtown, to speak to 
Chief Waller about it.” 

Ten minutes later Frank dropped^ off in 
front of police headquarters. And no sooner 
had he alighted than the lad discovered that 
there was a buzz of excitement about the place, 
for several men were conferring and the chief 
himself seemed disturbed. He looked eagerly 
at Frank as the boy came forward and started 
to relate what had occurred on the preceding 


64 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


night out near the residence of Colonel Josiah 
Whympers. 

Immediately the face of the chief began to 
light up and an eager glow shine in his eyes. 
It seemed as though what Frank was telling 
must have given him a connecting link that 
he had found himself badly in need of. 

‘^Now we know where he went!’’ he ex- 
claimed, calling to one of his men. ‘‘Gro out 
to Colonel Josiah Whympers’, Green, and see 
what traces you can get of him.” Then once 
more turning to the astonished boy, he went 
on : You see, we had a jail delivery here last 

night. A desperate scoundrel managed to slip 
away undetected and we only found it out this 
morning. And the man who got out was your 
old friend, Jules Gar rone, the French aviator, 
who was caught by the help of the Bird boys 
and their bully little aeroplane! Get that, 
Frank?” 


ANDY RECEIVES A SHOCK. 


65 


CHAPTER VII. 

ANDY DECEIVES A SHOCK. 

^ ‘ Then it was Jules who set fire to our shed ! ’ ’ 
exclaimed the boy, astounded. 

‘‘None other, you may be sure,” replied 
Chief Waller, nodding his head. 

“And made off on my wheel?” continued 
Frank, beginning to grasp the truth. 

“That’s just what he did,” went on the offi- 
cial. “Foimd he couldn’t steal your aeroplane 
and was bound to lay his hands on something 
belonging to the Birds that would carry him 
out of danger. Glad you came, Frank. I’ll 
just call up all the surrounding towns and ask 
if a bicyclist has been seen there. I hope you 
can describe the wheel so they might know it.’^ 

“Yes, I even know the number. Besides, 
I’ve got my address scratched on the under- 
part of the frame. But whatever do you sup- 
pose Jules wanted to set our hangar on fire 
for?” Frank asked. 

“Huh!” replied the chief ; “don’t know, un- 
less it was a spirit of revenge. Some of these 
French rascals have the same nature as the 
Corsican or the Sicilian and hug the idea of 
revenge to their hearts.” 


66 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


‘‘Revenge!” Frank cried. “But when did 
we ever injure them? Oh, yes, I forgot! We 
chased them off at the time they tried to steal 
our aeroplane, and they even neglected to take 
those two suit cases of jewelry with them, so 
the stolen property was recovered.” 

“Yes,” the chief went on, “and that wasn’t 
all, either. Remember that it was you Bird 
boys who discovered that they were hiding in 
the old shack deep in the forest. You saw 
them near there when you were sailing over 
that region in your airship and reported to 
me. And so we surrounded the cabin and 
nabbed our game. It may be they learned who 
gave them away, and Jules, on finding him- 
self at large, made up his mind to get even 
before running off.” 

Turning to the phone on his desk the chief 
now started to call up several of the neighbor- 
ing towns. Some were only six or eight miles 
away, while others might be double that and 
more. 

Frank knew where the road ran that passed 
the Whympers place and when finally the po- 
lice head got Shelby he pricked up his ears. 
Immediately he saw Chief Waller show signs 
of sudden interest. A smile crept over his face 
as though he were hearing news that pleased 
liim. Then he engaged in a hurried conversa- 


ANDY RECEIVES A SHOCK. 


67 


tion with the police official at the other end 
of the wire, after which he turned to Frank. 

think IVe located your wheel, Frank, 
he observed. 

^^Over at Shelby, you mean?” queried the 
other. 

The chief nodded in the affirmative. 

^‘Yes, over at Shelby,” he said. ‘‘It seems 
that early this morning a wagon belonging to 
a countryman coming in to market was stopped 
by something lying on the road. Getting down^ 
the farmer found that it was a man, badly in- 
jured, as if he had taken a header from a 
wheel. And, indeed, a bicycle was found close 
by, with some parts of it damaged, as if it 
had been run at full speed against a rock, send- 
ing the rider ten feet away, where he landed 
on his head and was knocked out.” 

“Was it my wheel?” asked Frank. 

“He described it, for the farmer brought 
both man and wheel to police headquarters, 
and there can be no doubt but that it’s yours. 
And the unfortunate rider answers to Jules. 
Now, I’m going to get an automobile at the 
garage and go over. If you want to go along 
I’d be glad to have you, Frank.” 

“I certainly would,” replied the boy, quick- 
ly. “I hope the poor fellow didn’t go so far 


68 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


as to break bis neck. But let me go after a 
machine for you, chief. IVe got an errand 
at the garage anyhow, as my dad wants a me- 
chanic sent up to potter at his little runabout, 
out of commission as usual. He’s ordered a 
better car, you know, and is only waiting for 
it to be delivered. Shall I go 

‘‘Yes. Tuttle will know which machine I 
generally use when on official business, for you 
see the town pays the bill. Be back as soon 
as you can. Prank.” 

“Yes, sir,” replied the other, hastening 
away. 

The mystery was now solved, and, after all. 
Puss had been proven innocent on this last 
count. Frank laughed to think how amazed 
Andy would likely be when he heard the news. 

“I only hope he doesn’t happen to run across 
Puss before I get a chance to open his eyes,” 
he was saying to himself, as he headed for the 
nearby garage. “Because I really believe 
Andy is mad enough to challenge our old en- 
emy and throw the accusation in his teeth. 
Then there would be a high old mix-up, with 
Puss in the right for once.” 

It did not take him long to deliver both 
messages. He saw a mechanic start off to 
tackle the disabled runabout for the doctor, 
so he could carry out his round of morning 


ANDY RECEIVES A SHOCK. 


69 


visits by ten o’clock. And then a chauffeur 
ran a car out of the garage into which he in- 
vited Frank to jump. 

When they arrived at police headquarters 
the chief was awaiting them. Evidently he 
was not at all averse to this delightful spin 
across country on a fine July morning and 
with nothing to pay. Official business might 
sometimes prove worth cultivating. 

Presently they were off. Frank, of course, 
knew every rod of the way. He had more 
than a few times made the trip over to Shelby 
on his wheel in company with Andy. And 
since they had taken to the air they had looked 
down upon that road for miles, as they whirled 
along hundreds of feet up, discovering fea- 
tures about the landscape that they had never 
dreamed of before they had this ^‘bird’s-eye 
view,” as Andy delighted to call it, playing 
upon their own name. 

In due time they reached Shelby and drew 
up in front of the building where the police 
held forth. The first one to meet their eyes 
as they entered was a familiar figure seated 
in a chair and attended by a doctor and a 
couple of officers. 

“It’s Jules, sure enough!” said Frank, as, 
despite the many bandages about the head of 
the man, he recognized the dapper little 


70 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


Frencli aviator with whom he had had more 
or less trouble in the past. 

And Jules grinned as he saw them. His 
spirit was not crushed, even though it began 
to look as though he might be the football of 
fate. 

‘Ht ees ze fortunes of war, messiers,’’ he 
said, wincing at the pain speech caused him. 
^‘And after all, it was ze machine of ze young 
inventor zat downed me. I am von lucky man 
not to haf been five thousand feet up in ze air 
when it occur. Had eet been ze monoplane zat 
kicked me, pouf ! poor Jules he would haf been 
as flat as ze pancake. As eet is, after I haf 
serve my time I am yet alive.” 

Frank found his bicycle badly damaged. In 
fact, the front wheel was smashed beyond re- 
covery, for it had been driven against some 
stone at a tremendous pace. Strange to say, 
the lamp had gone through it all without any 
apparent damage. 

‘^A few dollars will fix it up, all right,” he 
said, cheerfully. ‘‘And I guess I ought to be 
thankful ever to see it again.” 

So he placed the wheel in the back of the 
big touring car. The doctor announced that 
Jules might be moved without danger if they 
were careful, and this Chief Waller promised 
he would be. 


ANDY RECEIVES A SHOCK. 


71 


‘'You’re giving us a heap of bother, Jules,” 
he said, after the captured rascal had been 
safely stowed away in the tonneau of the car, 
with the chief beside him and Frank mount- 
ing to the front with the chauffeur. “But this 
winds you up. I understand your trial comes 
off tomorrow and you’ll soon be snug in the 
pen.” 

“Zat was ze knowledge zat urge me to break 
out,” remarked the prisoner, blandly. 

“Well,” remarked the other, with a tight- 
ening of his lips, “we’ll make sure you don’t 
get another opportunity, that’s all.” 

Frank watched as they drew near the place 
of Colonel Josiah. He anticipated that the 
prisoner would be eager to look across the field 
to where the shed stood. Hor was Frank sur- 
prised to hear him give a low cry. 

“Eet is wonderful, ze luck zey haf !” Jules 
remarked, as he discovered that the hangar 
had not burned to the ground as he expected, 
and after that he relapsed into gloomy silence. 

Frank had caught sight of Andy passing 
along the street ahead and entering the 
Bloomsbury postoffice. So as soon as he could 
get his broken wheel into the bicycle store, 
where he left orders for its being fixed at once, 
he hurried off, in hopes of intercepting his 
cousin and breaking the great news. 


72 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


He was just in time to see Andy coming 
out of the building and staring hard at some- 
thing he held in his hand. Prank could see 
that it was a letter and he also noticed that his 
chum was unusually pale. 

‘‘Now I wonder what he’s got?” asked 
Prank, talking to himself, as many boys often 
do at times. “Looks like a letter, too. Once 
in a while the colonel asks him to go down 
when the mail comes in and see if there is an 
important one for him, which he can’t wait 
for the carrier to bring out. And Andy has 
got one this time, sure.” 

A moment later and he came upon Andy, 
who at sight of his chum showed signs of relief. 

“I’m awful glad you came along. Prank,” 
he said, seizing the other by the sleeve ; “I was 
at your house and they told me you had gone 
downtown somewhere. Then, as the mail was 
in, I remembered Colonel Josiah was expect- 
ing one of his letters from London, and so I 
dropped over. But there was nothing for him. 
Mr. Guthrie handed me out this and said he 
guessed it was for me. Oh, look where it is 
from. Prank! Do you think — can it be pos- 
sible that it means some news, after all this 
time, from my father?” 

Prank saw it was rather a bulky letter and 
that the postmark showed a station in South 


ANDY RECEIVES A SHOCK. 


73 


America. Eemembering all that had passed 
between them in connection with this country; 
he understood the cause of Andy’s great emo- 
tion. 

was almost afraid to open it, Frank,” 
said the other, brokenly. 

^‘Well, do it now,” remarked Frank, and 
Andy tore the end off hurriedly. 

He appeared to read hungrily for a minute, 
and then gave a cry of amazement. 

‘^Oh!” he said, taking in a big breath, ^‘how 
strange ! how wonderful ! ’ ’ 


74 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


CHAPTER Vni. 

THE MESSAGE. 

Frank Bird could restrain his curiosity no 
longer. 

‘‘What is it, Andy?” he asked, as he laid 
an affectionate arm across the shoulders of 
his cousin. 

The other turned his eyes upon Frank, and 
there was something in their depths that 
stirred the other tremendously. 

“Is it about your father, Andy?” he de- 
manded, eagerness plainly showing in his 
whole manner ; for he understood what a hold 
the subject had on his chum. 

Andy nodded, and as soon as he could com- 
mand his quivering voice, said: 

“Yes, nothing more than a letter from the 
grave, I fear ! See, Frank, written in his own 
dear hand. Oh! to think of it, that at least 
three months ago he was alive, even though 
a prisoner, the sport of fate.” 

“A prisoner!” echoed Frank, astonished. 
“Whatever can you mean? Did he fall into 
the hands of some of those strange Indians 
we have been reading about, who have their 


THE MESSAGE. 


75 


homes around the headwaters of the Orinoco 
Eiver in Venezuela?” 

This time Andy shook his head in the nega- 
tive. 

‘‘It is stranger than that — almost beyond 
belief!” he replied. “My poor father has for 
months been imprisoned in a great valley, 
surrounded by impassable cliffs. Don’t you 
remember something of the sort occurred in 
one of Captain Mayne Reid’s books, where 
the young plant hunters found themselves 
prisoners in that way? But here, Frank, look 
for yourself.” 

“Where does the letter come from, in the 
beginning?” asked the other, quietly, wishing 
to advance by slow degrees, so that he could 
understand everything. 

“A town in Columbia, called Barranquila,” 
replied Andy, readily enough. “I’m not sure, 
but I think it lies at the mouth of the big 
Magdalena River, and is upon the coast. You 
know I’ve just devoured the map of that 
region for months, and every name is familiar 
to me.” 

“Besides this queer communication, which 
you say is from your father,” Frank went on, 
“there seems to be another letter?” 

“That is from Senor Jose Almirez. Read 
it, Frank, and you will begin to understand.” 


76 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


The letter was in a crabbed band, appar- 
ently unused to writing in English, though 
granunatically correct. And this was what 
Frank saw: 

^‘To Senor Andrew Bird: 

‘‘I received the enclosed from a correspond- 
ent and customer, one Carlos Mendoza, located 
in the vicinity of Manangue, a town about one 
hundred and fifty miles up-river. 

‘‘He is a grower of cocoa in the rich valley. 
I do not enclose his letter, because it is written 
in Spanish. But it simply says that he found 
the written communication close to his planta- 
tion house one morning in April of this year. 
At first he could not understand how it came 
there. Then, upon having the writing trans- 
lated, he noticed that the missive was attached 
to what seemed to be a little parachute, or 
balloon, made up of a fragment of silk be- 
longing to a balloon. Knowing that I had 
spent several years in Washington, in the 
service of my country, he finally concluded to 
send the same to me. I have the honor to 
transmit it to the address given in the com- 
munication. 

“With respect, and expressing a willing- 
ness to help you all I may, Senor Andrew 
Bird, believe me to be most sincerely yours, 
“Jose Costilena Almirez.’’ 


THE MESSAGE. 


77 


Frank read this amazing communication, 
and then turned to stare at his cousin. 

‘‘No, don’t stop yet!” exclaimed the trem- 
bling Andy. “Read the other, the missive 
that Carlos Mendoza picked up on his cocoa 
plantation, in the valley of the Magdalena 
River.” 

And so Frank again turned his attention 
to the enclosure that had been sent on by the 
friendly mercliant of Columbia. 

It seemed to be a sheet of thin but pliable 
bark from a tree, and in some respects re- 
minded Frank of birch bark, which he had 
often used in lieu of paper, when in the woods. 
The juice of some berry had afforded ink; 
and doubtless the college professor had easily 
made a pen from a bird’s quill. And this was 
what Frank read, a small portion of the com- 
munication being missing, as though it had 
received rough usage somewhere, en route: 

“Whoever finds this, I pray that it be for- 
warded to Andrew Bird, in the town of 
Bloomsbury, State of New York, U. S. A. In 
my balloon I was carried away by a sudden 
storm while crossing the Isthmus of Panama. 
As near as I can calculate I was swept some 
three himdred miles, more or less, in a south- 
easterly direction, much of the time above the 
clouds. Then something happened, and I felt 


78 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


myself falling. Giving myself up for lost, I 
awoke from a swoon to find myself in tke 
branches of a tree, with the wreck of the bal- 
loon near me. A merciful Providence has 
saved my life, but I fear only to prolong my 
agony of soul. Por months now I have been 
a prisoner in a remarkable valley, a sink-pit, 
enclosed by inaccessible cliffs. Many times 
have I struggled to climb to their top, but only 
to meet defeat. 

‘‘All this time I have sustained life by 
means of fruits that grow in abundance in 
this tropical valley. In the hope that I may 
manage to communicate my horrible condi- 
tion to the outside world I have made scores 
of small parachutes, and when the breeze at 
the top of the cliffs appeared favorable, send 
them up by means of hot air, each carrying a 
message to my son. God in His infinite wis- 
dom only knows if one of these will ever reach 
him. I shall continue to have hope, and 

sustain life as long as my mind remains 

“Professor Philip B ’’ 

When he had finished this astonishing docu- 
ment Prank turned to his chum. 

“Oh! what a remarkable thing! I never 
heard its equal in all my life. To think that 
your father has been alive all these months, 
though a prisoner in that cliff-bordered valley ! 


THE MESSAGE. 


79 


But Andy, don’t you see that now nothing is 
going to keep us from going down there, and 
finding him? Here is the clue you wanted^ 
only instead of discovering his sad fate you 
are going to rescue him, and bring him home 
again!” 

They reached out and gripped hands. 
There was something in that act to stamp the 
more than brotherly feeling existing between 
them. 

‘‘Do you think we could do it, Frank?” ex~ 
claimed Andy, more than ever willing that his 
clear-eyed chum should take the lead in this 
most eventful moment of his whole young life. 

“Sure I do,” answered the comforter, 
readily. “Didn’t we conquer one battery of 
cliffs that were said to be insurmountable, 
when we sailed in our dandy little monoplane 
up to the crown of Old Thunder Top, and 
snatched that silver cup for a prize? Make 
up your mind, my boy, that that was just 
meant to get us in practice for better things. 
The time’s come for us to show what we’re 
made of. And instead of a silver cup, the 
prize this time will be ” 

“My father’s life!” murmured Andy, tears 
in his eyes, as he again squeezed that faithful 
hand which held his so firmly. 

“That’s right,” Frank continued. “We can 


80 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


go straight to this fine Spanish gentleman, 
Senor Almirez, and get all the points he 
knows. Prom there we’ll get up-river to this 
valley town and visit Carlos Mendozo on his 
cocoa plantation. Depend on it he’ll be able 
to set us on the track, somehow or other.” 

^‘Oh! it seems like a strange dream,” said 
Andy, as he raised the piece of bark to his 
young lips, and passionately kissed it, regard- 
less of the fact that some one passing the post 
office might notice him. 

^^Well, you want to wake up right away 
then,” remarked Prank, smiling, ‘^because 
we’ve just got to get a hustle on us, if we’re 
going to start on this wonderful trip. Here’s 
where our aeroplane is going to help us out. 
Just imagine how we can pass over regions 
where it would be next to impossible for us 
to navigate on foot — ^mountainous country, 
tropical valleys where wild beasts roam and 
poisonous snakes abound; and jungles where 
the natives have to cut a passage foot by foot, 
I understand, with their machetes. And to 
think that we can sail freely over it all, look- 
ing for that spot where that bark letter came 
from.” 

^‘Come, let’s go home!” exclaimed Andy. 
^H’m sure Colonel J osiah will be tremendously 
interested in what we ’ve learned. He ’ll be the 


THE MESSAGE. 


81 


most disappointed man in the whole U. S. just 
because he’s so crippled that he can’t go along. 
For many years he’s traveled in every country 
under the sun. Perhaps he might tell us more 
about the interior of Colombia than we know 
right now.” 

Accordingly they hurried away. Frank 
came near forgetting the news he had been 
bearing at the time he met his cousin. But 
then, that was hardly to be wondered at. The 
capture of the escaped robber was of minor 
importance when compared with this wonder- 
ful business connected with Professor Bird. 

And just as Andy had said, Colonel Josiah 
was tremendously interested when he heard 
about it, and with his own eyes looked upon 
the letter that had come from a living tomb. 

^‘Somebody pinch me,” he said, looking at 
the boys almost helplessly. ‘‘I surely must 
be asleep, and dreaming this. It seems too 
strange to be true. Philip alive all these 
months, and in that terrible situation, while 
we were enjoying the good things of the world 
up here. It is monstrous ! You must go down 
there with as little delay as possible, Andrew. 
:Who knows but what it may be your blessed 
good fortune to rescue your dear father, and 
bring him back with you. Money — all you 


•82 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


need ; and the prayers of an old man go with 
you.” 

‘‘But think,” said Andy, uneasily, “this 
was written three months ago. What may 
not have happened in all that time? There 
must be beasts in that sunken valley, and 
doubtless many poisonous reptiles. Per- 
haps ” 

“Hold on!” cried Frank, interrupting him, 
“don’t you go to imagining all sorts of ter- 
rible things. He had been there at least nine 
months already. Nothing had happened to 
injure him. He does not even hint at such a 
thing; but says he means to sustain his life 
as long as he retains his proper mind. Your 
father was not in the least like you, Andy. 
He possessed a wonderfully well-poised mind, 
and laid out his plans with deliberation. Be- 
lieve me, the chances are ten to one he is still 
there, and waiting. We are going to find him. 
Don’t allow any other idea to take possession 
of your head. Find him, do you hear?” 

Of course that sort of talk had its effect on 
Andy, and he braced u^d. They began to make 
preparations and plans without delay. The 
monoplane was taken apart, and carefully 
crated. Then Frank ran down to the city and 
returned with several duplicate parts, secured 
at an aeroplane agency he knew of, and which 


THE MESSAGE. 


83 


would come in handy in case of an accident in 
that strange country, where they must depend 
entirely on themselves. 

For two days there was a tremendous lot of 
bustle around both homes. Dr. Bird Jiad no 
longer any valid excuse for refusing Frank 
permission to go, since it was a mission of 
mercy that beckoned the boys on to that South 
American mountainous region. Besides, he 
had always been very fond of his elder brother, 
who had done so much to make the name of 
Bird famous, in college and out ; even though 
the professor had thought best to make his 
old friend. Colonel Josiah, his boy’s guardian 
instead of the physician. 

The aeroplane had been shipped to New 
York, to be put upon a steamer sailing for 
Maracaibo, in Venezuela, and which they ex- 
pected to take also. From this port they 
would have to make their way to the mouth 
of the Magdalena River by means of some 
smaller craft. But with virtually unlimited 
means to back them, the boys did not fear but 
that they could overcome any difficulties that 
might arise in their path. Indeed, Frank had 
a disposition that would never allow anything 
to balk his plans, if it were at all within the 
power of human nature to accomplish results. 

The last thing they heard, just before leav- 


84 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


ing Bloomsbury, was that Puss Carberry and 
his crony, Sandy Hollingshead, had gone 
away, taking their biplane along; and it was 
said that they expected to do wonderful stunts 
with their airship somewhere in the South, 
But our two boys were too deeply interested 
in their own fortunes to give more than a 
passing thought to the flitting of their rivals. 
Besides, it would not seem that there could 
be one chance in a thousand that they would 
ever run across Puss and Sandy in all that 
great country, lying south of the Caribbean 
Sea, and north of the mighty Amazon. 

And one morning Frank and Andy said 
goodbye to those whose best wishes were 
wafted after them, taking train to New York 
City, so as to go aboard the steamer, that was 
scheduled to sail that P, M, 


UNDER TROUBLED SKIES. 


85 


CHAPTER IX. 

UNDER TROUBLED SKIES. 

how glad I am to think we’ve arrived 
at last!” 

Andy uttered these words as he stood at the 
rail of a small but staunch steam yacht, of 
rather ancient vintage, that he and Frank had 
leased when arriving at Maracaibo, the city 
on the bay of the same name, from whence so 
much of ^Venezuela’s coffee is shipped to the 
States. 

It had belonged to some Englishman who, 
becoming stranded at this South American 
port while on a globe circling trip, was forced 
to let it go; and the agents gladly secured a 
crew for the adventurous young Americans, 
who were bound up the Magdalena Eiver for 
some unknown purpose. 

‘‘Yes,” observed Frank, who leaned on the 
same rail close beside him, ‘‘there’s the town 
of Barranquila, all right. We’ve navigated 
the five hundred miles in this little steam 
craft, ^ with only a few break-downs of the 
machinery, and just two days’ delay. And the 
second step on our journey comes to a close.” 

“The third ought to take us to that valley 


86 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


town np the river; ain’t I right?” asked the 
anxious Andy. 

^^Sure. As near as I can make it, Magan- 
gue must be not over two hundred miles up- 
stream. With good luck we can cover that in 
a couple of days,” returned Frank. 

‘^But why do you say good luck?” de- 
manded his cousin, suspiciously. 

^‘Oh! well, we are now in the land of to- 
morrow, you remember,” laughed Frank. 

‘^You mean where they put off everything 
they can, saying ‘no hurry; plenty of time, 
senors all; the world was not made in a day’? 
Is that it?” Andy went on. 

“Partly. I was also thinking of another 
thing,” admitted Frank. 

“Yes, and I bet I can give a mighty good 
guess what it is, old fellow.” 

“Perhaps you can,” Frank said, a little 
gravely. “Suppose you spout it out.” 

“You’ve been pondering on what old Quito 
was telling us, in his broken English, about 
this little revolution that has been slumbering 
around the region of the Magdalena Eiver of 
late. You have a hunch that we may just be 
unlucky enough to run across some of those 
ragged chaps, who want to upset the present 
government of Colombia, and seat some old 
ex-president fossil in the chair again.” 


UNDER TROUBLED SKIES. 


87 


‘‘Anyhow, you’re a fine guesser, Andy,” 
admitted Frank. 

“Then that’s what was on your mind?” 
asked the other. “I’ve noticed you frown a 
whole lot lately, which is unusual for my 
cheery pard, Frank.” 

“Oh! well,” observed Frank, calmly, “I 
acknowledge the corn. I was wondering 
whether we might be troubled by any of those 
fellows while we were navigating this river. I 
hope they’ll just let us severely alone. But 
you know, Andy, just as Colonel Josiah 
warned us, these Colombians don’t have any 
too much love for Yankees, ever since that 
Panama rebellion, when, as they believe, our 
government openly assisted the people of the 
Isthmus throw off the Colombian yoke, be- 
cause we just had to control that strip of ter- 
ritory for the canal.” 

“But why should the revolutionists want to 
stop us?” insisted his cousin. “We are here 
only on a private quest. We seek no gold 
mines or cocoa plantations. Our only object 
is a mission of mercy. And besides, if these 
men are in open rebellion, they ought to be 
glad to see anybody that their government 
detests, Yankees or not.” 

“Well,” pursued Frank, with a cautious 
glance around, “I was thinking that some of 


88 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


the people in Maracaibo took altogether too 
much interest in our little monoplane. A lot 
of dark-faced men hovered around, and asked 
many questions. They have heard and read 
much about the wonderful things being done 
today in aeronautics, but have seen little or 
nothing.” 

Frank, that’s so!” exclaimed Andy, 
quickly. ‘‘Please go on. You are gripping 
my attention a heap, I admit. Tell me, do you 
suspect that some of those same chaps may 
have been Colombians?” 

“I’m dead sure of it, and more than that, 
old Quito gave me to understand he believed 
they were connected with the junta that was 
pushing this new revolution in Colombia.” 

“Yes?” Andy said, in a way that plainly 
invited further explanation. 

‘ ‘ Stop and think, ’ ’ Frank continued. ‘ ‘ Sup- 
pose now, they conceived the idea that it 
would further their forlorn cause a heap if 
they only had such an airship, and could 
threaten to drop all sorts of bombs into the 
camps of the government troops!” 

“Good gracious! I suppose that is so. I 
never thought of that, Frank!” 

“You know how nervous and excitable these 
people are? Don’t you think they’d give the 
government the worst scare it ever had ? And 


UNDER TROUBLED SKIES. 


89 


couldn’t they make almost any sort of terms 
of settlement'?” Frank demanded. 

‘‘Yes, that’s true. Then you imagine those 
fellows may have planned to somehow steal 
our aeroplane, .and that they’ve sent word 
ahead to their friends along the Magdalena to 
look out for us?” was Andy’s startling 
question. 

“Partly that. But don’t you see, Andy, the 
little monoplane would be utterly useless to 
them unless they had some one who knew how 
to run it?” 

The other gave utterance to a low whistle, 
just to indicate how his feelings had been 
stirred. 

“You mean they might try to capture us in 
the bargain, and force us to operate the aero- 
plane? But suppose we did, what would 
hinder our just sailing away, once we got up 
in the clouds? Tell me that, Frank?” 

“Oh! well, I’m not looking that far ahead,” 
smiled the other. “Possibly they might only 
let one of us go up, keeping the other as a 
hostage. Or perhaps, there might be a fear- 
less revolutionist officer aboard with that one, 
sworn to shoot at the first sign of treachery. 
But don’t let us cross a bridge until we come 
to it.” 

“That’s right. We don’t want to fall into 


90 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


the hands of any ragtag revolutionists, and 
we won’t! We’ve got our work laid out for 
us, and nothing must stop us. All the same 
I’m going to keep an eye on that precious 
case in which our aeroplane is boxed, as well 
as the engine. And Frank, I’m carrying the 
little shooting-iron Colonel Josiah gave me as 
a parting present.” 

Ditto myself,” replied the other, in a low 
tone, as one of the crew happened to draw 
near, while getting ready to make a landing 
at the wharf. ‘‘He told us that down in this 
country it paid to be ready for trouble ; though 
I keep hoping we’re not going to have any- 
thing of the sort.” 

It was toward noon when they steamed up 
to the town that nestled near the mouth of the 
great Magdalena Eiver. Of course it was hot, 
for the season of the year made that a fore- 
gone conclusion; but both boys were dressed 
in suitable attire, and also wore pith helmets 
calculated to allow a current of air fan the 
head. 

Andy was shivering in a mixture between 
hope and fear. In this city they would meet 
the writer of that pleasant letter, Senor J ose 
Almirez. What if he had received further 
intelligence from the correspondent up-river 
since the time he had mailed that letter? 


UNDER TROUBLED SKIES. 


91 


What if some terrible news awaited the com- 
ing of the daring young Yankees, who had 
ventured to this faraway country, bent on solv- 
ing the mystery connected with the long ab- 
sence of Professor Bird? 

But, as usual, it was Frank who buoyed his 
spirit up. There never was a chum more 
devoted to the interests of his friend. Andy 
would long since have succumbed to his fears 
but for the cheery words of the other. 

It was said to be the rainy season in this 
country that lay in the tropics. Up on the 
high mountain peaks lay snow the year 
around; but in the low lands, and along the 
valleys and sides of the uplifts, they could 
grow coffee, cocoa, bananas pineapples, 
oranges and all manner of similar products. 

A small crowd gathered at the wharf to see 
the little steam yacht come in. Perhaps the 
former English wandering owner had been 
here before, and some of them even recognized 
the vessel. 

Scowls greeted her passengers when it was 
discovered that they were not English but 
Americans. Frank and Andy paid little heed 
to these frowns. They did not mean to leave 
the boat, if so be it were possible to have 
Senor Almirez come aboard. And for that 
purpose they had written to him ahead of time, 


92 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


telling him how they expected to reach Bar- 
ranquila about a certain date. 

Several breakdowns of the engine had de- 
layed them, so that they were even now two 
days behind time. On this account, as well as 
through prudence, they meant to stop here 
as briefly as possible. 

Immediately their purser went ashore to 
make inquiries, and purchase a lot of fruits 
that could be taken on the river voyage; 
though for that matter they might expect to 
get anything they wanted at various villages 
along the route. 

Frank was looking the crowd over closely, 
think I see him, Andy,’’ he remarked, 
presently. 

‘^Tou mean Senor Jose?” asked his cousin, 
eagerly. ^‘I’ve been watching that middle- 
aged gentleman who seems to be pressing close 
in on the flank of the crowd. There, see, he is 
speaking to Manuel, our purser, now, asking 
him some question. He looks up here at us; 
yes, and waves his hand, with a smile ! That 
must be Senor Jose, all right. Prank.” 

‘H’m going down to meet him, to fetch him 
aboard,” declared Frank, after both boys had 
answered the signals of the dark-faced gentle- 
man in the white linen suit, and who was also 
wearing a Panama straw hat. 


UNDER TROUBLED SKIES. 


93 


Three minutes later and Frank reappeared, 
having the other in tow. 

Just as both of them had suspected it was 
Senor Jose. Eeceiving their communication 
from Maracaibo, he had been on the watch. 

‘‘And he tells me, Andy, that there has been 
no new development since he wrote. So that 
fear of yours must be set at rest. J ust depend 
on it, we’re in this game to win out, and your 
dear father is going to be found,” Frank went 
on. 

Presently they were deep in conversation. 
The boys found Senor Jose a very intelligent 
gentleman indeed. He had spent some years 
in Washington in connection with the embassy 
of his government, so that he not only spoke 
and wrote English well, but had a high opinion 
of Americans; something that the vast ma- 
jority of his fellow-countrymen failed to 
acquire, being possibly fed on stories that may 
have had their inception in German or English 
trade sources. 

From him Frank extracted all the informa- 
tion he could concerning the wonderful coun- 
try lying between Magangue and the Isthmus 
of Panama, covering possibly some three hun- 
dred miles. It was little enough. Most of it, 
he declared was a terra incognita, being utterly 
unknown land. 


94 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


‘‘But,” continued the obliging senor, “you 
will certainly be able to learn more concerning 
this when you see my fellow-countryman, 
Senor Mendoza; for all his life has he lived 
there at Magangue, and surely he must know 
something of that country to the south.” 

“We shall leave here with as little delay as 
possible,” observed Frank. “I have sent our 
purser, Manuel, to comply with the custom 
duties, and secure us a few supplies. When he 
comes aboard again we expect to start.” 

“It is just as well,” remarked the other, 
significantly, and seeming to be relieved. 
“Because, there is an uneasy feeling in Bar- 
ranquila just at present. Agents of the revolu- 
tionary junta have been here. They are very 
active. And from secret sources I happen to 
know that they are aware of the strange cargo 
you are bringing with you.” 

“You must mean our aeroplane, Senor?” 
remarked Prank, quickly. 

“Si, Senor Bird,” the other continued, nod- 
ding his head. ‘ ‘ It has become known that the 
two young Americanos are of the new and 
wonderful aeronauts, with whom nothing is 
impossible. And if you remained here any 
length of time I fear lest even my government 
might seek to find some excuse for appropri- 
ating your little airship. The talk is all in 


UNDER TROUBLED SKIES. 


95 


that direction now. Colombia is ripe to take 
a forward step, and have an aviation corps. 

‘‘Well,” said Frank, “under the circum- 
stances we would seriously object to having 
our monoplane confiscated now, because upon 
it we depend wholly in our search. But I 
thought you were perhaps about to warn us 
to look out for these revolutionists while pass- 
ing up the river.” 

“It would be wise, Senor,” observed the 
amiable Colombian ex-diplomat. “They have 
agents here; and I happen to know that one 
is even now on the wharf, observing. Possibly 
he seeks to communicate with some spy who 
chances to be a member of your crew. So you 
see, it must pay you to be alwaj^s on your 
guard, and prepared!’’ 


96 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


CHAPTER X. 

NIPPED IN THE BUD. 

There comes Manuel!’’ remarked Andy, 
after they had been nearly an hour talking on 
the deck of the little power boat. 

^^Yes,” remarked his cousin, who was also 
on the watch, ^‘and trailing behind him I can 
see several native carts containing fruits and 
new supplies. Manuel surely means that we 
shall not go hungry while on the river.” 

^^Then I shall be going, my friends,” said 
Senor Jose. ‘‘I have told you all I know. I 
have warned you to beware of the revolution- 
ists along the river bank. I have even given 
you a hint that to delay longer in Barranquila 
might endanger your enterprise; since the 
government is just now very anxious to 
acquire such wonderful modern agents of war- 
fare, as your aeroplane. It only remains to 
shake your hands, both, amigos, and wish you 
every good fortune your valor deserves.” 

. “^' They squeezed the hand of the fine old 
Colombian gentleman with vigor. Never 
would Andy forget how he had spoken con- 
jOerping his interest in the sacred duty that 


NIPPED IN THE BUD. 


97 


had brought the son of the missing aeronaut 
to his country. 

Frank had given strict orders that none of 
the crew should go ashore, and also that no 
strangers be permitted to board the craft while 
they lay there at the old wooden wharf. 

‘‘But,’’ said Andy, when they were speak- 
ing about this matter, as preparations began 
to leave the port, “that hasn’t prevented the 
crew from holding an animated confab with 
those ashore. There has been a constant Jab- 
bering and laughing between our fellows and 
those others.” 

“Yes,” admitted Frank, “and I’ve seen 
several of the crew talking mysteriously with 
some of those chaps. I wish now the sehor 
had thought to indicate which was the secret 
agent of the revolutionsts he saw on the dock. 
But aU the same I’ve marked the two fellows 
I suspect, and I’m going to keep a close eye 
on Enrique, and the little fellow with the 
quick motions we call ‘Cospita,’ because he’s 
forever ejaculating like that.” 

“And if you find out that they’re meddUng 
with the boxes?” asked Andy. 

“H’m! I guess it’ll be a bad day for En- 
rique and the jumping-jack, that’s all,” 
laughed his cousin. “But there goes the cable, 
and it looks like we might be off at last.” 


98 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


not sorry, for many things!’’ declared 
!Andy, with a sigh of positive relief. ^^The 
good senor got me scared by what he said about 
his government wanting just such things as 
our little ‘Bug’; and that the officials might 
have orders to find some sort of ridiculous 
excuse for grabbing it.” 

“Same here,” admitted Frank. “In fact, 
[that bothered me a whole lot more than the 
chances of trouble along the river from the 
boys who want to get their man seated in the 
president’s chair, where he could hand out 
the loaves and the fishes. We can resist them, 
and be backed by authority ; but if the govern- 
ment officers once took us in we’d have to give 
up our job. And that would break your heart, 
Andy.” 

“Yes,” said the other, drawing a long 
breath, “I’m afraid it would. Listen! There 
goes the whistle. I told the pilot not to make 
more fuss than he could help when we drew 
out.” 

‘ ‘ Which was quite right. I ’m watching that 
little chap, Cospita. See him wave his hand 
to some one ashore? Yes, and that surely 
looked like a signal the fellow returned. We 
are going to have trouble with that boy yet, 
Andy.” 

“Well, that will be bad for Cospita,” was 


NIPPED IN THE BUD. 


99. 


all the other remarked; for he was eagerly 
watching the growing space between the boat 
and the shore. 

‘‘Look, Frank,” he remarked, after a little 
time had elapsed, “as sure as you live, there 
is an officer in uniform just arrived on the 
dock, and backed by a squad of soldiers ! He 
seems to be surprised at discovering that we 
have gone! Now he beckons, and waves his 
hat! Listen to him shouting something in 
Spanish through his hands. I guess we didn’t 
get away from Barranquila five minutes too 
soon!” 

“It looks like it,” said Frank, grimly. 
“But we’ve complied with the law of the land, 
and nothing short of a cannon could make us 
turn back now. All the same, I’m going to 
the pilot house, and keep an eye on Felipe. I 
think he’s trustworthy; but an ounce of pre- 
vention is better than a pound of cure always.” 

“Good for you!” Andy shot after his de- 
parting chum; though he himself remained 
there by the rail, watching what took place 
ashore. 

Frank quickly entered the pilot house. 
Here a dark-faced, middle-aged man handled 
the wheel. Frank immediately noticed that he 
was listening to what the gold braided officer 


100 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


ashore was shouting angrily. He also looked 
a bit troubled. 

^‘What does he say, Felipe?’’ demanded the 
young aviator. 

‘‘He commands us to return, senor,” replied 
the other. 

“Well, pay no attention to him, Felipe. We 
have complied with all the regulations and 
red tape necessary. The American consul will 
back us up. It is your business to simply 
steer this boat up the river until we arrive at 
Magangue.” 

“Si, senor. But when I return they will 
surely make the trouble for me,” replied the 
pilot, shrugging his narrow shoulders. 

“Not at all, Felipe,” declared Frank. 
“You can swear that we made you do as we 
wished; that you dared not turn back, since 
your life was in danger. We stand ready to 
shoulder all the blame there is.” 

The dusky face of the old river pilot, whom 
they had fortunately run across in Maracaibo, 
became wreathed in a smile. 

“Perhaps the young senor would not mind 
showing the Capitan?” he- suggested. 

Frank grasped his meaning; and pretend- 
ing to scowl darkly, he drew out the revolver 
which Colonel Josiah had made him promise 
to carry while down in this explosive country. 


NIPPED IN THE BUD. 


^03 


‘‘Now, Felipe,” he said, as he clapped the 
weapon deliberately against the head of the 
pilot,” your gay Capitan can easily see what I 
am doing, and will understand what it means. 
You keep right on up-river; and if you dare 
disobey it will be bad for you, Felipe!” 

The shrewd old pilot tried to smother an 
expansive grin as he replied: 

“Si, senor, I am in your hands; do with 
me what you will. I dare not refuse longer. 
See, I have made one effort to turn about ; but 
you threaten, and I give it up. He no longer 
calls. He knows old Felipe is powerless. It 
is well!” 

Frank stood by him until the wharf was 
dimmed by distance. Then he hastened to 
rejoin his cousin and chum, who was mightily 
pleased to hear all about it. 

“Do you think they will chase after us?” 
queried Andy, still worried. 

“Oh! I guess not. It isn’t so serious as all 
that. They know they can get us when we 
come down the river, no doubt,” replied 
Frank, carelessly. 

“Then I’ll care precious little what becomes 
of the Bug,” observed Andy, with a sigh of 
relief. 

“I suppose you mean that by that time 
you’ll either have found your father; or else 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


iLl 

given up the search as hopeless. Is that it, 
old fellow?” Frank asked. 

‘‘Yes, one or the other. And now, weVe got 
time to remember the other warning good old 
Senor Jose gave us.” 

“About the revolutionists trying to stop 
us on the way and get our cargo? Yes,” 
Frank went on, “that must be on our minds 
constantly. I’m going to talk with old Felipe 
about it soon. I have a hunch that he can be 
depended on to back us up, for he’s got a 
grudge against the man these fellows want to 
send back into the presidential chair. Senor 
Jose told me Felipe lost al his family through 
the persecution of that man and his party.” 

“A bully good thing to know,” assented 
Andy. “For we can be dead sure of Felipe 
all the time; and through him get pointers 
about the rest of the crew. There are a few 
goats among the sheep, and when we make 
sure of it, I’m just going to pay them off, and 
chuck them ashore in any old place.” 

“Now that’s what I call a clever scheme,” 
Frank declared. “They would have no kick 
coming, because, you see, no Spanish Amer- 
ican could ever complain of getting his wages 
without having to do any work!” 

“I guess not,” Andy remarked, grinning 
assent. 


NIPPED IN THE BUD. 


103 


Upon further conference it was decided to 
divide the day and night into watches, so that 
one of them could be on deck and alert all of 
the time, while the other secured some sleep. 

Treachery, they knew, would be likely to 
crop out during the night time. Those on 
board may have found some means of telling 
their confederates ashore about what time the 
boat would reach a given point. And by 
means of some native method of telegraph- 
ing, such as by means of wigwag flags, or 
smokes,’^ the news could be hurried up the 
river much in advance of the vessel that was 
butting against the strong current of the 
swollen Magdalena. 

Then Frank went forward to have a long 
talk with the trusty pilot. He took Felipe 
into his confidence, telling him for the first 
time all about their sacred mission to this 
region of Colombia. And in this way, as well 
as by promising to double his regular wages, 
Frank quite won the old fellow’s heart. 

In return Felipe was able to give his em- 
ployer considerable valuable information con- 
nected with the crew. Frank mentioned no 
names, and hence he was satisfied that he had 
made no mistake in his calculations, when 
among the list of '‘suspects” given by the 


104 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


pilot, both Enrique and little ^‘Cospita’’ were 
included. 

‘^We must get rid of them both as soon as 
possible,’’ he announced. ^^So just before 
night sets in, draw the boat to shore near some 
village or town. Then I shall pay both men 
off, get their signatures to the fact, and insist 
on their going ashore. Meanwhile, as you find 
opportunity, post a few of the faithful ones to 
the fact that we suspect them of being insur- 
rectoes.” 

Felipe declared that the idea was superb. 
He was growing more and more fond of these 
venturesome young Americanos, who were so 
generous, so brave, and who had come all this 
great distance, actuated by such a noble pur- 
pose. So many a man may easily feel when 
his salary has been unexpectedly doubled. 

During the balance of that afternoon the 
two young aviators continued to alternately 
sit upon the deck, and wander about the boat, 
watching things. Frank had the precious 
aeroplane locked up in the spacious lazerette, 
which being also used as a storeroom for extra 
supplies, that the circumstance need not be 
looked upon as singular. 

‘H’m determined that no ill may happen to 
that machine, if I can help it,” he said to his 


NIPPED IN THE BUD. 


105 


chum, when speaking of what he had had 
done. 

And Andy, of course, fully endorsed his 
course. 

So the sun began to draw closer to the 
western horizon, represented by the distant 
mountains where the chief inland town of the 
province, Sabanalarga, lay. 

Felipe had spoken of a place on the eastern 
bank of the river, where they could draw in, 
and put the two suspects ashore. And Frank 
told Andy to back him up in what he was 
about to do. 

^‘There’s the town ahead, only a little place, 
but it answers our purpose, for they can never 
say we deserted them in the howling wilder- 
ness,’’ and Frank, who had been counting out 
some money, started to make his way down 
to the waist of the vessel, where most of the 
crew had gathered, wondering what the object 
of the landing might be. 

Enrique and ‘‘Cospita” were surely very 
much astonished and alarmed when told that 
their services were needed no longer — that it 
was ascertained they were carrying too many 
men; and also that they were to receive full 
pay for the time they had engaged. 

Of course they started to make objections, 
and the air was filled with various excited ex- 


106 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


clamations ; but Frank proved as firm as ada- 
ment, and showed the automatic revolver 
sticking from his pocket all the while, a fact 
that kept the two men from venturing to do 
more than shout. 

Clutching their money they were pushed 
ashore by members of the crew, who doubtless 
could give a pretty good guess as to what the 
whole thing meant, since they had talked with 
Felipe. 

A good riddance of bad rubbish!” declared 
Andy, as the boat again started up the river, 
leaving a pair of yelling natives behind, mak- 
ing all sorts of furious gestures with both 
arms. 

‘‘Yes,” pursued Frank, reflectively, “and if 
we wanted any more evidence that we nipped 
a conspiracy to seize the vessel in the bud, 
there it is in their anger at being paid for not 
working. Nothing like that was ever known 
before down in this country, as Felipe says. 
And now, Andy, I feel that we’re another 
step nearer the carrying out of your great 
task.” 

“Oh! I hope so,” said the other, his face 
marked by an eagerness that told of the one 
sole wish of his youthful heart. 


OUT OP THE FRYING PAN. 


107 


CHAPTER XI. 

OUT OF THE FRYING PAN INTO THE FIRE. 

Frank took the first watch. 

It was to begin about ten o’clock that night; 
for both of them had remained on deck, talk- 
ing, up to that hour. The night was so com- 
fortable after the hot day that they disliked 
going into the sleeping quarters. These hap- 
pened to face the deck, however, so that the 
vessel was admirably suited to cruising in 
tropical regions. 

‘‘Everything seems to be going on decently 
right now,” remarked Andy, yawning, as he 
prepared to have a few hours’ sleep. 

“That’s so,” returned his chum. “But 
while we’ve got some of the faithful ones on 
duty, we mustn’t forget that there may be 
other snakes aboard. Enrique and the little 
shouter may not have been all the sym- 
pathizers with the revolutionists. And not for 
a minute will we relax our vigilance.” 

That was Frank’s way; and just now Andy 
fully approved of it. His heart was so set 
upon having a chance to use the monoplane in 
the endeavor to discover that strange cliff- 
enclosed valley, where his father was impris- 


108 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


oned, that he did not mean to take any chances 
of losing out through over confidence. 

So he packed off to his berth, while Frank 
prepared for three hours of lonely vigil. He 
expected to make the rounds just about once 
in so often, and have a few words with the 
man at the wheel. Felipe had declared that it 
was his intention to keep busy himself through 
the night, since he dared not trust the wheel 
in the hands of an inexperienced pilot while 
darkness lasted. 

In the morning he could give directions, 
and allow an assistant to do the work, while 
he secured some rest. 

There was no moon after early in the eve- 
ning, when the young queen of the night dis- 
appeared in the west, leaving the bright stars 
to control the skies. 

The boat continued to make good headway 
against the current, though at this season of 
the year the Magdalena is bank full with the 
summer rains, which fall almost every after- 
noon in a deluge. 

!A searchlight sent a dazzling shaft of light 
far ahead on the troubled surface of the boom- 
ing flood. This was an absolute necessity, for 
otherwise it would have been too dangerous 
bucking against that tide ; laden as the river 
was with floating tree trunks of gigantic size. 


OUT OP THE FRYING PAN. 


109 


that had been swept from their resting-places 
in the lowlands above. 

Once Frank had seen a wild animal 
crouched on one of these great logs. The 
boat passed so very close to the floating 
refuge of the beast that ere darkness claimed 
the strange craft with its stranger cargo, 
Frank had been able to see the tawny hide of 
the crouching beast, and note the quick, jerky 
motion of its long tail. 

Upon hurrying to the pilot house and mak- 
ing inquiries of Felipe he learned that, just 
as he suspected, the animal was a jaguar, the 
most feared inhabitant of the tropical forests 
away off at the headwaters of the Magdalena 
and Orinoco rivers. 

There was a spice of peril hovering over 
the progress of the little boat during every 
hour of that night. It might come in the 
sudden leap of a wild animal, that judged any 
port would be better than a floating log. Then 
there was a chance of their running afoul of 
a monster derelict, in the shape of a drifting 
snag, that might punch a hole in their bow, 
and bring about trouble. 

On top of all was this unseen peril from the 
revolutionists, who were making the Magda- 
lena country the center of their renewed activ- 
ity, for some reason or other, and had their 


110 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


minds set on securing the first aeroplane ever 
known to be in Colombia. 

The time passed away. When three hours 
had really gone, and all seemed well, Frank 
awoke his chum. Generous to a fault, he 
might have held out much longer, for he did 
not feel exhausted ; but Andy, who knew him 
like a book, had made him promise faithfully, 
on his word of honor, that he would arouse 
him at exactly the time agreed upon. 

‘^Everything lovely, and the goose hangs 
high!’’ Frank said, as the other joined him 
presently on deck. 

“That’s good,” replied Andy. “And as it 
is now one o’clock, with no trouble doing, looks 
good to me that we’ll pull through the night 
without a mess.” 

“You never can tell,” observed the careful 
Frank. “And the only way to do is to act 
just as if you felt positive something was 
bound to crop up.” 

“I know it,” came the reply, as Andy 
started to walk up and down a bit, so as to get 
the last remnant of drowsiness out of his 
system. 

For an hour he found little trouble in keep- 
ing awake. He made frequent trips to where 
Felipe stood at his wheel, his keen eyes keep- 
ing constant vigil ahead, in order that he 


OUT OF THE FRYING PAN. 


Ill 


might steer clear of such snags as threatened 
to stove a hole in the hull of the steam yacht* 

Now and then Andy could see one of the 
crew moving about ; but as some of them must 
have duties to perform, even in the night, he 
did not look upon this as a suspicious circum- 
stance. Only, he made sure that no one 
wandered in the near vicinity of the locked 
lazerette, where the precious monoplane lay^ 
securely crated. 

In some places the river proved much nar- 
rower than in others. And, of course, it was 
here they had their greatest trouble. The 
current was increased, for one thing. Then 
the floating objects swept forward with more 
speed, so that it required additional dexterity 
in order to avoid them. 

But old Felipe knew his business well* 
Andy believed they had made no mistake in 
leaving matters fully in his hands. 

It was about the end of his second hour that 
the pilot volunteered some information that 
gave Andy more or less uneasiness. 

^‘Just ahead, young sehor,’’ he said, when 
for the flfth time the boy entered his deck 
pilot house, ‘^we come to the narrowest place 
in the whole river at this section. Amd there^ 
if anywhere, I expect that they will be waiting 
for us.’’ 


112 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


‘‘Do you mean the revolutionists?’^ ex- 
claimed Andy, interested instantly. 

“No other, senor. If we manage to get 
past there, all will be well. But they may be 
encamped on both shores, and demand that we 
draw in under penalty of being fired on,” 
Felipe went on, without removing his snap- 
ping black eyes for even a single second from 
the ever-moving panorama of shifting water 
and floating debris^ that the searchlight dis- 
closed ahead of the laboring boat. 

“But nothing must tempt us to obey; no 
matter if they send volleys aboard. The dis- 
tance is too far for them to do much damage ; 
and I hear they are as a rule pretty punk 
shooters.” 

Felipe may hardly have known what that 
word meant, but he could give a guess. 

“But sometimes, young senor, they even 
have cannon!” he remarked. 

“You don’t say!” ejaculated Andy, in new 
alarm; but he quickly caught himself, and 
went on. “Let ’em try it then. We’ll just 
shut off the searchlight, and take our chances 
for a while with the old floaters bn the river. 
Then perhaps they won’t see anything to bang 
away at. Anyhow, just make up your mind, 
Felipe, we don’t haul in, not while the blessed 
old tub keeps above water.’* 


OUT OF THE PRYING PAN. 


113 


‘‘It is good to hear such brave talk,’’ said 
the old pilot, chuckling. “Me, I will keep 
going straight ahead, no matter what comes, 
until I have the order from you to turn the 
boat. Yes, let them shoot, senor. After all, 
I do not believe they could hit the side of a 
palace in this dark.” 

All the same Andy thought he ought to 
arouse his cousin, and make Frank aware of 
the new threatening peril. 

On hearing the facts, Frank agreed with 
all the one on guard said, even to being ready 
to extinguish the useful searchlight when the 
critical moment arrived. 

“We’ll just have to take chances, that’s 
all,” he declared. “Even if we came swat up 
against one of those floaters, that’s no reason 
we’d be snagged and sunk. They make 
these boats pretty strong, over there across 
the big pond, and I guess our hull could stand 
a hard punch.” 

“Yes,” remarked Andy, feeling easier, now 
that Frank was on deck, ready to take matters 
in his able hands; “and after all, it’s a choice 
between two bad things, in which we pick out 
the lesser. Hang the old insurrectoes, I say! 
Why can’t they just pay attention to their 
own business, and let us two peaceful Bird 
boys alone?” 


114 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


^‘Well,” laughed his chum, ‘‘you know how 
it is yourself, when you want something 
pretty hard. And they’ve got the notion in 
their stubborn heads that if they only had a 
modern, up-to-date aeroplane, they could just 
make the miserly old government come to 
terms instanter. Don’t blame them too much, 
Andy. Maybe you and I would do the same 
thing — if we were Colombians, and on the 
outs.” 

“Looks to me like there was something like 
a fire ahead, Frank!” declared Andy, right at 
that juncture. 

“I say, you’re on the spot every time, old 
fellow,” observed the other, as he shaded his 
eyes to look. “There’s a sharp turn ahead, 
where Felipe says we enter the narrow place. 
And I honestly believe they’ve got a bonfire 
burning on the right-hand bank.” 

“Then, after all, shutting off our bully little 
searchlight won’t do us much good,” com- 
plained Andy, regretfully. 

“Don’t you believe it,” Frank hastened to 
remark. “A fire isn’t going to reach all the 
way across the river, which is pretty wide, 
even at its narrowest part. And depend on 
it, our clever old wheelsman will keep just as 
snug up against the left hand shore as he 
dares go.” 


OUT OP THE FRYING PAN. 


115 


All the same, despite these assurances from 
his cheerful chum, Andy confessed to a secret 
feeling of apprehension as they drew closer 
to the point of land beyond which the danger 
possibly lay in wait. 

It seemed to him that every conceivable 
species of peril threatened the sacred enter- 
prise, upon which he had so eagerly em- 
barked. From various sources did harm 
hover over their heads. And even though 
they passed safely through all these, there 
must be many more to come, after they had 
launched their little airship, and started to 
explore the strange regions of this tropical 
land. 

‘‘It’s a fire, all right, Frank,” he said, as 
they negotiated the bend, and opened up a new 
vista ahead. 

“Yes, that’s so for a fact,” returned his 
chum. “And notice, will you, Andy, how old 
Felipe has managed to keep over well toward 
the port shore. He sized up the situation all 
right, and knew how to act.” 

“Yes, Felipe tells me he used to serve in 
the army. Many a battle he has been through, 
not only in Colombia, but in other countries 
as well. He was once something of a soldier 
of fortune. But where are you going, 
Frank?” as his comrade started to leave him. 


116 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


‘‘I must warn the crew to keep out of sight, 
or they may be hit, if there happens to be any 
shooting going on,” called the other, over his 
shoulder. 

He found that every member of the crew 
seemed to be awake, as if they had talked the 
situation over, and also guessed where the 
trouble would lie in wait for the venturesome 
young Americano senors. 

So Frank gave his warning, and saw that 
they obeyed. While they were in his employ 
he felt a certain degree of interest in these 
ragged fellows, and did not wish to be held 
responsible for any damage they might re- 
ceive, if inclined to be reckless at times. 

When he once more reached Andy’s side 
the latter was looking through a pair of 
marine glasses they had fetched along, think- 
ing they would prove especially valuable in 
scrutinizing the country over which they 
might be passing in the aeroplane. 

^‘They’re our friends, the revolutionists, I 
reckon,” he announced. ‘‘I can see several 
who carry big swords that dangle around their 
heels. And the common soldiers, while they 
have little if any uniforms, and some of them 
no shoes, seem to all have guns in their hands. 
Here, look and tell me what that is on the 


OUT OP THE PRYING PAN. 


fiir 


little rise. I’m afraid our worst fears are 
going to come true.” 

‘‘Well, you’re right, Andy,” replied the 
other, after he had clapped the binoculars to 
his eyes. “That’s a cannon, all the same, and 
they’re getting ready to shoot!” 

“Oh! my! It makes a fellow’s flesh just 
creep, to think of being banged away at with 
a great big cannon!” declared Andy. 

“This one isn’t so very big, I think. And 
now we’re nearly opposite where the fire 
burns. They’re going to make a move to show 
their hand. Drop down flat on the deck, Andy 
— quick with you!” and Frank, as he spoke, 
set the example himself. 

Hardly had the two boys thus thrown them- 
selves down than there was a heavy boom, 
accompanied by a brilliant flash of fire from 
the shore. 

The revolutionists had fired upon the little 
steam yacht ! 


118 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


CHAPTER XII. 

A GREAT SURPRISE. 

^^Wow! now, what do you think of that?’^ 
exclaimed Andy, raising his head, just as one 
of the big turtles native to these warm waters 
might thrust his out of his shell. 

‘‘Why, that was only a warning to bring 
us up short, and pay attention!’’ declared 
Frank. “Because, as you saw, the ball 
splashed the water ahead of our bow.” 

“But Frank, we don’t mean to head 
across?” cried Andy, getting up on his knees, 
the better to see. 

“To be sure we don’t. That was all settled 
long ago ; and you notice that our good Felipe 
is still keeping her nose headed straight up- 
stream. Now out goes the searchlight, just 
as we arranged. Wonder what they’ll think 
that means?” 

“Perhaps they’ll believe they knocked it 
overboard with that shot!” suggested Andy, 
who could joke, even when facing troubles as 
thick as a sea fog. 

“Listen!” Frank exclaimed, “there’s a chap 
with a pair of leather lungs, shouting a lot 
of gibberish. I suppose he’s demanding our 


A GREAT SURPRISE. 


119 


surrender, and threatening to blow us to 
smithereens if we decline to believe him.’^ 

‘^One good thing is that each minute takes 
us further up the river, and every foot counts 
in this game of runaway. Already we’re past 
where the gun stands; and those fellows are 
working like fun to get her turned around, so 
as to point after us. While they load we’re 
doing more stunts. Yes, and Frank, we’re 
leaving ’em in the lurch, I do believe.” 

‘‘Sure thing,” returned Frank, composedly, 
“only both of us want to duck when it looks 
time for the blamed old gun to bang again. 
They mean business from the word go, now, 
and will shoot to hit! By some accident it 
might run afoul of the boat, and splinters fly. 
There, get ready to drop, Andy! It’s com- 
ing!” 

It certainly was, for immediately another 
flash sprang up, accompanied by the same 
deep bellow, as the fleldpiece was discharged. 
No doubt, while it may have been rather out 
of date in pattern, the cannon was good 
enough to have done savage execution, handled 
by expert German or French gunners. 

But there did not seem to be any such among 
the rag-and-bobtail army of the new aspirant 
for the presidency of Colombia. At any rate. 


120 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


the missile whizzed and whined past the re- 
treating boat, missing her by yards. 

Bully!’’ shouted Andy, jumping up and 
cutting a few pigeon wings on the deck to illus- 
trate just how pleased he was. ^‘By the time 
they’re ready to let her off again we’ll be near- 
ly out of range. And from the looks of the 
bank I feel pretty sure they never can catch 
up with us, toting their old gun along.” 

Three minutes later there came the third 
report, and they heard the ball pass high over- 
head, proving that the marksmen had entirely 
lost all traces of the boat and simply fired at 
random. 

‘‘That settles it,” said Frank, decisively. 

“Do you think so?” asked his chum, joy- 
ously. 

“No question about it, Andy. Like the gov- 
ernment official on the wharf at Barranquila, 
they realize that the game didn’t work, and if 
they want to get us they’ll have to lay some 
new plans when we come back again. But 
we’re not bothering our heads about that, you 
know.” 

“Never even cut a chip off our boat!” de- 
clared Andy. 

“Well, I’m going back and get the rest of 
my nap. Wake me up at four, remember. I 
want the last watch,” and Frank dove within 


A GREAT SURPRISE. 


121 


his stateroom with as much seeming indiffer- 
ence as though this thing of being fired upon 
with fieldpieces might be an everyday occur- 
rence in his experience. 

Morning dawned upon the Magdalena. 
Frank was on duty at the time and drank in 
the lovely picture. Birds flew overhead, cranes 
arose from along the shallows in near the 
shore, where they had been fishing for their 
breakfast, and there were many strange feath- 
ered creatures to be seen, such as the boy had 
never up to now set eyes upon. 

Some of the crew were trailing fish lines 
astern and every now and then a prize would 
be hauled aboard, which later on might afford 
a meal for passengers and workers. 

Andy soon made his appearance, the rising 
sun having sent a few slant rays into his sleep- 
ing quarters and aroused him by falling on 
his face. 

^^This is something like, eh, Frank?’’ he 
remarked, as he drew in a big breath of the 
bracing morning air. 

should remark, yes,” was the other’s 

reply. 

We’ve apparently left all our dangers be- 
hind,” Andy ventured. ^^That is, I mean 
there’s little likelihood of our being robbed 
of our precious machine now, with both gov- 


122 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


ernment officials and envious revolutionists 
left in the lurch.’’ 

was just asking Felipe and he says we 
shall have another day and night of bucking 
up against this nasty current. You see, Andy, 
it’s on an unusually big bender right now, 
which makes it doubly hard to fight it.” 

‘‘Oh, well, what can’t be cured must be en- 
dured, I guess. So I’ll try to take it as easy 
as I may and be thankful it’s no worse,” Andy 
replied. 

The morning passed without any event 
worth mentioning. And all the while they 
kept steadily at the business of eating up some 
of the two hundred miles that Felipe assured 
them lay between Magangue and the city at 
the mouth of the big river. 

Another thing was worr5dng Andy, however. 
He finally broached the subject to his comrade, 
knowing that in this way he would get relief. 

“That blessed old engine has been doing 
bully for a long time now, Frank, but judging 
from past experiences, she’s due for another 
sulky fit soon. Whatever would we do if she 
let down all of a sudden, while we were right 
in the worst kind of a swift current? My! 
we’d be carried miles downstream before we 
could do anything.” 


A GREAT SURPRISE. 


123 


‘‘Oh, no we wouldn’t!’’ remarked the other, 
smiling. 

“Then you’ve been thinking it all over and 
made ready to offset a balk, I bet anything,” 
declared Andy, with vehemence. 

“Do you see that anchor forward?” asked 
Frank, pointing from where they stood on the 
raised deck aft. “Well, that’s got a good long 
stout chain attached and is placed where a kick 
will send it over. Notice old Quita squatting 
close by ? Think he ’s taking a snooze, he seems 
so quiet? But all the time the old chap’s on 
the alert, and he has his orders, too.” 

“To upset the anchor over the bow, you 
mean ? ’ ’ asked Andy. 

“Just that,” came Frank’s reply. “If any- 
thing happens to the machinery you’ll hear 
a series of quick whistles from Felipe. The 
boat won’t even have a chance to lose headway 
before over plumps the big mudhook, and we’ll 
just take a rest out in the river until repairs 
can be made again by Engineer McClintock 
and his assistants.” 

Andy looked at his chum admiringly. 

“Blessed if you don’t just think of every- 
thing!” he said; “and get ready long before 
it happens. However do you do it, Frank ? ’ ’ 

“Oh, it’s easy, once you make up your 
mind,” laughed the other. “I took to it long 


124 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


before this new Boy Scout movement started. 
You know they’ve got as their leading motto 
the words: ‘Be prepared.’ And there never 
was a better slogan ever given to boys. Think 
how many things might be avoided if we were 
always prepared.” 

“Yes, I’ve given the subject much thought,” 
grumbled Andy; “but somehow I seem to slip 
up when it comes to the critical time. I stay 
awake eleven hours, and just when I doze off 
in the twelfth watch the blamed thing hap- 
pens! It’s always that way, seems to me. How 
can a fellow stay awake all the time, tell me 
that?” 

“Oh, rats! There’s no need of that. Just 
fix things so you’ll be aroused when it comes 
along, and be ready to turn the tables.” 

So they talked away into the afternoon. The 
engine seemed to be on its best behavior. Mc- 
Clintock, the Scotch engineer, who was the 
only foreigner aboard besides the boys, re- 
ported that he was beginning to have more 
faith in the machinery. The work of the last 
twenty odd hours had certainly been a pretty 
heavy tax on it and everything seemed to be 
going like clockwork. 

“I only hope it’ll keep up, then,” said Andy. 
“One more night is all I ask. Then Felipe 
promises to have us at our journey’s end, when 


A GREAT SURPRISE. 


125 


I can see and talk to the very man who picked 
up that wonderful little parachute, with its 
message from the unknown valley among the 
cliffs. I wish the time was here right now.’’ 

‘‘Felipe, by the way, is taking his rest now,” 
said Frank, after a little time ; ‘ ‘ for he expects 
another night on duty. We still meet many 
tree trunks sweeping down on the current. The 
man at the wheel has to keep on guard con- 
stantly. Look at that tremendous one, will 
you, Andy? And just notice how dense the 
forest is ashore around here. How any one 
can get around at all beats me. I should think 
they’d have to keep their machetes busy all the 
time cutting the matted vines away.” 

“I understand they do,” the other went on. 
“And I rather guess that there’s hardly a 
country under the sun where an aeroplane 
would be of more real benefit than right here 
in the tropics. Think of avoiding all that 
tangle — of floating along, a mile a minute if 
you wanted, far above the tree tops and away 
from all such a muss.” 

“You’re right,” agreed Frank, fervently. 
“And it’s the only way any one could ever 
hope to discover this strange prison of your 
father. From a distance of a thousand feet 
we can have a big range of vision. With our 
good glass it will not be hard to discover the 


126 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


cliffs, if only we figure out in which direc- 
tion we can have the best chance. And I think 
I’ve got a scheme ready to manage that.” 

‘‘I depend on you to do it,” said Andy. 

Alone by myself I would simply despair of 
ever learning anidhing worth while. But 
while you are along I just feel that we’re going 
to succeed.” 

‘‘I ought to thank you for saying that, but 
I won ’t, ’ ’ Frank declared. ‘ ‘ Because it makes 
me tremble for my reputation as a prophet.” 

‘^But you have seen nothing to make you 
less confident, I hope?” cried the other. 

^^To be sure I haven’t,” replied Frank, read- 
ily enough. ‘‘On the other hand, I ought to 
feel better satisfied than ever, because we’ve 
managed to outwit every cause for trouble that 
has cropped up this far. We’ll get through 
this coming night without accident, because 
we ’re ready for anything. Then, when another 
day dawns, we’ll haul in at Magangua, to hunt 
J ose Mendoza up and hear what he can tell us 
about the parachute that fell among his cocoa 
trees.” 

“Hark! what ails the men forward?” ex- 
claimed Andy just then. 

They sprang to their feet and rushed to 
where they could see what was going on. 

“Perhaps a mutiny!” exclaimed Frank, who 


A GREAT SURPRISE. 


127 


could not tell what queer thing was ever go- 
ing to happen down in this land, the people 
of which were so different from all whom he 
had ever known before. 

Andy uttered a low cry of alarm and began 
to fumble for the revolver Colonel Josiah had 
made him promise to always carry on his per- 
son, once they reached the country of revolu- 
tions. 

The first sight they obtained told them that 
something unusual had indeed happened. A 
number of the native crew were in range of 
their vision, but every man had fallen flat on 
his face and seemed to be cowering there as if 
afraid. 

^‘What in the dickens is it?” gasped Andy, 
don’t know. They are a scared lot, that’s 
sure ! Perhaps they saw a sea serpent along- 
side ! It couldn’t be that a jaguar has boarded 
us. No, look at old Quito, how he lifts his 
head and takes a terrified look! Why, he 
seems to be observing something up above in 
the heavens as sure as you live!” 

As Frank shot out these words he, too, bent 
his head back to scan the brazen sky above. 
A cry broke from his lips. 

‘^Why, what under the sun does it mean?” 
exclaimed Andy, who had also turned his eyes 
heavenward to discover a strange thing speed- 


128 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


ing over the tops of the trees, one, two thou- 
sand feet high, and at the same time there 
came to his ears a familiar throbbing that 
could have but one meaning. 

‘‘An aeroplane!’’ he burst forth in 
thrilling tones; “and the sillies down there 
think it’s just a frightfully big bird about to 
carry them off. Hey, Prank, perhaps the gov- 
ernment has got one of the new contraptions 
after all!” 

‘ ‘ Go slow, ’ ’ said Frank. ‘ ‘ Suppose you look 
a bit closer, my boy. Isn’t there something 
familiar about that same craft up yonder?” 

“It’s — ^it’s a biplane, Frank!” gurgled 
Andy. 

“Yes, and one you’ve set eyes on before, too, 
old fellow. It belongs to ” 

“Puss Carberry!” burst from Andy’s quiv- 
ering lips, as he continued to stare, as if almost 
unable to believe his own eyes. 


THE DEVIL-BIRD/' 


129 


CHAPTER XIII. 

THE <*DEVIL-BIED.»' 

‘‘Yes, Puss Carberry and his crony, Sandy 
Hollingshead!’’ declared Frank, positively. 

“But, it seems impossible! All these hun- 
dreds and hundreds of miles away from old 
Bloomsbury and Puss Carberry floating over 
us ! Sure I must be dreaming, Frank stam- 
mered the other, still gaping up at the rapidly 
passing aircraft. 

“No, you’re just as wideawake as ever you 
were in all your sweet life,” said Frank. 
“Take a better look, Andy; don’t you see now 
that it’s the same biplane we raced with the 
day Sandy dropped that bag of sand, hoping 
to break our winning streak in the dash for 
Old Thunder Top 

“Anyhow it’s a ringer for it, I give you my 
word!” muttered the stunned boy. 

Frank, with an exclamation of impatience, 
sprang forward and snatched something up 
that had just caught his attention. This 
proved to be the flne fleld glasses that had been 
brought along on the adventure. 

These he clapped to his eye, and as they 
were already fitted and adapted to his sight, 


130 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


he lost not a second in covering the passing 
aeroplane. 

^‘Look for yourself, my boy!’’ he cried, 
handing the binoculars over to Andy, who has- 
tily raised them. 

^‘Well, I declare, that settles it!” ejaculated 
that individual immediately. 

‘‘You recognize them, then?” asked Frank. 

“It’s Puss as sure as thunder. I can see 
him plain. The other is just out of line, but 
there’s something about his figure that makes 
me ready to say it’s our old friend, Sandy,” 
Andy replied, amazement still gripping him 
tightly. 

“Well, Prank observed, “after all, the only 
queer thing about it is our glimpsing them 
so soon. We knew they were headed down 
this way somewhere, but they made quicker 
time than our best. And just to think that 
they’re the first to fiy an aeroplane along the 
region of the Magdalena.” 

“Huh! they beat us up in the air that other 
time, yet when it came to a showdown, we left 
’em at the stake!” 

Andy was beginning to recover his breath, 
and with it came renewed confidence. 

“Do you see anything in the actions of Puss 
that would indicate he had recognized us 


THE “ DEVIL-BIRD.*’ 


131 


aboard this boat?” asked Frank, for the other 
still kept the glasses glued to his eyes. 

‘‘No, I don’t,” replied Andy, presently. 
“You see they’re awful high right now, and 
without glasses they could never make us out 
down here.” 

“I guess you’re right,” was Frank’s de- 
cision. “Perhaps it’s just as well, for there’s 
never any telling what mean trick those fellows 
have got up their sleeve.” 

Andy suddenly removed the glasses and a 
sudden pallor seemed to cross his face. 

“Oh, Frank!” he cried, “you don’t believe 
they’d ever be so wicked as to try and stop us 
from searching for my father, do you? Bad 
as Puss Carberry is, I can’t just believe he’d 
ever do that.” 

“Well, I hope not,” returned the other, but 
there was a trifling vein of doubt in his voice, 
for he had long ago ceased trying to figure 
to what depth of depravity those two schemers 
might descend. 

“But where do you suppose they came from 
right now, Frank?” 

“That would be hard to tell, ’’Frank replied. 
“The first you saw of them they were sailing 
up over yonder. Then the chances are they 
have quartered themselves at some town, per- 


132 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


haps on the river, and that this is just their 
first flight — a sort of look over the country.” 

‘^Yes,” said Andy, ^ they’re circling right 
now as though they mean to head back again.” 

‘‘Well, you can’t blame them much,” Frank 
ventured, watching the actions of the aviators 
above with keenest interest. “Night isn’t so 
very far away, and I should think a fellow 
would hardly feel like being caught out after 
dark down here in an airship.” 

“Well, hardly,” Andy smiled. “Curfew 
must ring for us every time. Fancy dropping 
plump in the middle of such a jumble of for- 
est as that is yonder, and I bet you it’s just 
cram full of snakes, jaguars and everything 
else that would want to snuggle up to a poor 
birdboy dropped out of the clouds. Me for 
daylight when I go sailing down in this blessed 
region.” 

“Look, the men are beginning to recover 
from their fright,” remarked Frank in low 
tones. “There’s old Quito sitting up now and 
commencing his everlasting jabbering with the 
others. See him point to the biplane and then 
to us, Andy.” 

“Say, the sharp old coon is getting a pointer 
on us. He’s telling his chums right now that 
the thing we’ve got stored away in the lazerette 


THE ‘‘ DEVIL-BIRD/' 


133 


is just such a big bird as that going away over 
yonder. Am I right, Frank?’’ 

‘‘You never said a truer thing. But they 
were certainly a badly rattled crowd for a time. 
And we can hardly blame the poor fellows, for 
what could they think but that it was a tre- 
mendous bird of prey, looking them over with 
an eye to grub?” 

Frank laughed a little as though the recol- 
lection of the fright of the crew would always 
seem more or less ludicrous. 

They sat there and watched until the mys- 
terious biplane had completely disappeared in 
the hazy distance that marked the coming of 
evening. 

“You don’t think then,” asked Andy, when 
it had vanished from view, “that Puss and 
his biplane could have fallen into the hands 
of the Colombia authorities and that they’re 
using it for scouting to learn the movements of 
these ragged revolutionists?” 

“No, I don’t,” was Frank’s quick response. 
“You said you could positively make out Puss 
at the wheel, and I’m almost sure it was Sandy 
with him. They must have slipped into the 
country without giving their secret away. 
Trust sly Puss for knowing how to do that 
sort of thing. He never goes around with a 


134 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


brass band, telling what big things he has on 
tap.” 

‘‘That’s right. Why, just think, not a soul 
knew about his old biplane until he had it 
about done. We were working in the open 
almost, telling much of our plans, but Puss 
pretended to be mighty envious and asked 
questions, when all the time he was meaning 
to beat us out. Of course, he could get into 
Colombia without giving his secret away. You 
don’t need to tell me, Frank, you’re surprised 
at that.” 

“No more I am. But there goes the sun. 
How quick it seems to drop out of sight down 
here,” Frank remarked. 

“Sure,” laughed his cousin, “but all the 
same I fail to hear any bang. You remember 
the Irish immigrant who heard the sunset gun 
at a military post in America for the first time 
and on being told that it denoted sunset, inno- 
cently exclaimed, ‘Sure, the sun niver goes 
down in Quid Ireland wid a bang like thot!” 
But already the dusk is creeping out of the 
dense woods on to the river. And I’m get- 
ting hungry. It must be near supper time. 
I wonder what the folks up home are doing 
right now?” 

“Just what we are, likely — waiting to hear 
a welcome sound that will call them in to feed. 


THE DEVIL-BIRD/* 


135 


And there comes little Pepito to blow the 
conch shell that he uses for a dinner bell. 
Come, Andy, get a move on you. Another 
night and then we are going to do business 
at the old stand. It will be just fine to soar 
above this strange country and see for miles 
and miles — ^mountains, valleys, rivers, trop- 
ical forests, and everything that weVe never 
looked down on before.’’ 

The two young aviators went into the cabin 
for supper. They fared very well insofar as 
food was concerned. Of course, both of them 
missed the home cookery. The native who at- 
tended to this part of the program did his 
level best to please, and he certainly had plenty 
to work with. But his Spanish style of serving 
even the most ordinary dishes of tinned meats 
with a dash of garlic was beginning to pall 
upon the taste of the American lads. 

Frank had even started to show him other 
ways of cooking, and they had hopes of con- 
verting the cook by slow degrees. 

The night was in one sense a repetition of 
the preceding one. True, they would not have 
to consider being halted by a gathering army 
of the revolutionists, and that was a comfort 
all around. At the same time Frank deemed 
it necessary that he and his cousin keep watch. 
And Andy was perfectly willing to sacrifice 


136 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


some of Ms personal comfort for the sake of 
insuring the safety of the precious aeroplane. 

It proved just as well that they had so de- 
termined. During Prank’s second term on 
guard and somewhere around four o’clock, 
wMle darkness covered the land, he thought he 
caught a glimpse of a shadow crossing the 
deck, headed in the direction of the lazerette. 

He had been lazily reclining on a soft cush- 
ion made of several blankets and looking up 
at the silvery stars, but immediately he be- 
came fully aroused. This might mean danger 
in some shape toward the aeroplane. And no 
matter, it behooved him to investigate. 

So he softly arose to his knees and crept 
after the shadowy figure. 

Cautiously he approached the place where 
the door belonging to the storeroom was to be 
found. 'As he advanced thus he could occa- 
sionally catch a peculiar clicking sound, which 
he believed must be made by some one trying 
to pick the lock ! 

The engine of the boat kept up considerable 
of a racket as it steadily worked along without 
the dreaded hitch. Besides, there was always 
more or less splashing of water against the 
sides, as they pushed against the swift cur- 
rent of the Magdalena. All these things com- 
bined to mufSe the clicking sound frequently. 


THE “ DEVIL-BIRD.” 


137 


yet during little lulls Prank could catch it 
again. 

The tumult also served to deaden any shuf- 
fling he may have made while creeping toward 
the lazerette door, and for this Prank was 
thankful. 

It was very gloomy here. A hanging lan- 
tern some distance away only served to accen- 
tuate the gloom apparently. Still, by strain- 
ing his eyes. Prank believed he could just man- 
age to make out a stooping figure at the door. 
Yes, he was certain that it had just moved, 
and now the peculiar clicking was much 
plainer. 

When it stopped he remained perfectly mo- 
tionless, nor did he again commence his creep- 
ing forward progress until it started once 
more. 

Prank no longer had the slightest doubt con- 
cerning the cause of that suspicious clicking. 
One of the crew was endeavoring to force an 
entrance into the locked lazerette, doubtless 
with the intention of destroying the valuable 
aeroplane. He might be in league with the 
revolutionists and in this way hoped to pre- 
vent the government from eventually secur- 
ing possession of the machine which would put 
the insurrectos out of the running. 

But Prank had conceived another idea. He 


138 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


now believed that his fellow might have been 
sent by the crew to destroy the ^‘devil-bird,” 
as they undoubtedly considered a contraption 
that could soar through space as fast as the 
fleetest condor. 

No matter. It was his business to put a 
sudden stop to the action. And while doing 
so he must not be too rough in his dealing 
with the fellow, lest the entire crew rise in 
revolt. 

When he had reached a point that allowed of 
a leap, Frank suddenly sprang forward. He 
did not know just what he might be up against 
and had even taken from his pocket the splen- 
did new pistol which Colonel Josiah, himself 
a world traveler, had insisted upon giving each 
of his boys before they started on their trip 
south. 

“ Surrender 1” cried Frank, believing that 
the very sound of his voice would do much 
toward frightening the would-be traitor. 

But he hardly expected such a tremendous 
upheaval as followed. The man, believing 
that possibly the “devil-bird” had broken out 
of its cage and was about to carry him off in 
its gigantic beak, gave a shrill scream of ter- 
ror, and bouncing up, broke the slender hold 
Frank had secured upon his person. 

Not to be outdone, Frank, recovering, chased 


THE DEVIL-BIRD/ » 


139 


after him. He believed it his duty to at least 
learn the identity of the rogue, so that he might 
understand just how deeply the conspiracy had 
taken root in the crew. 

Between himself and the hanging lantern 
he could make out the fleeing flgure of the fel- 
low, and hot in pursuit he followed as fast as 
his feet would let him. The man undoubtedly 
heard him coming, for, if anything, his fright 
increased. Out upon the open deck they flew, 
Frank just a few feet in the rear. He had 
even stretched out his arm and touched the 
garments of the runner, when with a screech 
the fellow made a furious plunge straight over 
the side of the boat. 

He evidently chose to take chances in the 
swift current of the Magdalena rather than 
trust himself in the power of the unknown 
pursuer, which doubtless he believed to be the 
dreaded ‘‘devil-bird” that had been conflned 
in the box cage ! 


140 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


CHAPTER XIV. 

THE AIESHIP LAUNCHED AT LAST. 

Frank came near following after the un- 
known member of the crew, when the other 
made that flying leap over the side of the boat. 
Not that he wanted to take a bath just then, 
but his forward progress had been rapid, and 
he only saved himself by banging up against 
the taffrail, which was unusually high for so 
small a vessel, and holding on sturdily. 

He had heard the splash as the fellow 
reached the water. Doubtless he was a good 
swimmer, as about all these natives seemed to 
be, and barring his falling a prey to some 
loitering alligator or other reptile, he would 
be able to gain the neighboring shore further 
down. 

At any rate it was folly to think of looking 
for him. 

^‘What’s all the row?” cried Andy, as he 
came plunging forth from his stateroom. 

Some of the crew were even then looking 
over the side, and Frank imagined they could 
give a pretty good guess as to what it meant. 
But he heard not a word from even old Quito, 
and while the absence of a man must be no- 


THE AIRSHIP LAUNCHED. 


141 


ticed in the morning, there would probably be 
no complaint. 

When Andy heard about the attempt to in- 
jure the monoplane he was in a tremble. 

^‘Did you ever?’’ he exclaimed. ‘‘Why, it 
seems as though everything just wants to 
knock us. When we give the government offi- 
cials the merry ha ! ha ! and even slip past the 
revolutionary army, after being bombarded by 
their old cannon, here even our own men want 
to smash our precious aeroplane, under the 
belief that it’s an evil bird, come to bring bad 
luck to the people.” 

“Better go back to your bunk and forget 
it,” remarked Frank, who was tenderly rub- 
bing his elbow where it had come in contact 
with the hard taffrail at the time he stopped 
so suddenly, balking at a bath. 

“Me? Not on your life, Frank!” declared 
Andy, with much emphasis. “I’m going to 
take a blanket and just lie down in front of 
that blessed door. Nobody can get in then 
without walking over my body. And if I catch 
a fellow trying it on, believe me. I’ll give him 
something he won’t forget in a hurry. It’ll 
be touch and go with him, I bet you. ’ ’ 

Which he actually did, much to Frank’s se- 
cret amusement, camping out there on the 
floor as close to the locked door as he could 


142 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


get, and bracing bis back up against tbe same. 

But then, fortunately, morning was not so 
far away and Andy would have only a couple 
of hours, more or less, of bis self-imposed 
labor. 

They knew that if tbe pilot of tbe river ex- 
pedition said truly, they must even now be 
drawing near tbe town of Magangue. Pos- 
sibly it would break upon tbeir vision witb 
tbe coming of dawn. 

Frank bimself had no^ more intention of 
retiring to bis bed than bad Andy, but con- 
tinued to keep watch and ward until be saw 
tbe first peep of daylight over tbe port side 
of tbe vessel. 

Then be communicated tbe glad intelligence 
to bis chum, and together they stood there, 
watching tbe slow unfolding of dawn. From 
an ashen gray tbe sky began to be marked witb 
brighter hues; pink flushes traveled along in 
lines that centered in tbe spot where tbe sun 
would presently appear, and tbe gloom of 
night retreated once more back to its biding 
places among tbe mountain passes. 

<< There’s tbe dinky old town!” cried Andy, 
pointing with trembling finger. 

‘‘It is and no mistake,” replied Frank, bim- 
self experiencing a sensation of considerable 
relief, for at times it bad seemed more than 


THE AIRSHIP LAUNCHED. 


143 


doubtful whether the little expedition could 
ever overcome the many difficulties that beset 
its passage up the swollen river. 

And so they came to land just as the glori« 
ous sun showed his smiling face. Andy de- 
clared that this was a harbinger of good luck, 
and his cousin chose to readily agree with all 
he said, for it pleased him to see Andy look 
more like his old self than he had been for 
many a day. 

‘^Eemember, only one of us ashore at a time 
until we land this cargo,” remarked Frank, 
as they came to bring the boat to the bank, 
where a group of natives waited to see what 
it all meant, surprise written largely on their 
dark faces. 

‘‘That’s right,” responded the other trav- 
eler. “But I’m going to have the aeroplane 
carried out on deck at once, so it can be taken 
ashore as soon as we find where we are at. 
What we want first of all is to hear about 
our friend, Carlos Mendoza, the cocoa planter. 
Perhaps he lives miles away and we’ll have 
to get some sort of conveyance to tote our ma- 
chine out to his place.” 

“Yes,” observed Frank, “I’ve been laying 
out plans along that line. If you don’t mind 
I’ll drop ashore while you’re having the crates 
brought on deck and make inquiries. Even 


144 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


away down here in this wilderness money 
talks. Colonel Josiah told us it did for him 
in the heart of darkest Africa, you know. And 
a few bolivars will hire all the help we want.’’ 

Andy was perfectly agreeable that his com- 
panion should have taken upon himself the 
task of engineering things. 

You can always discount me when it comes 
to bargaining,” he said, laughingly; ^‘so go 
ahead and fix things to suit yourself, Frank.” 

Upon reaching shore, Frank, who had taken 
old Felipe along with him to serve as inter- 
preter, found that Carlos Mendoza had his 
home just on the border of the town, though 
it was a little distance away. He soon made 
arrangements for hiring a native cart to be 
used in transporting the precious aeroplane. 

In less than half an hour they were on the 
way. The boat had been left in charge of Mc- 
Clintock, the Scotch engineer, who would make 
sure that the crew remained on board or lost 
the wages coming to them. 

Both of the boys were so excited that they 
paid little attention to the strange scenes which 
now surrounded them in the valley town far 
back in the interior of tropical Colombia. In- 
deed, one might even have suspected that they 
had always been accustomed to living in a re- 
gion where all manner of tropical fruits 


THE AIRSHIP LAUNCHED. 


145 


abounded, coffee and cocoa were raised as 
crops, and birds of brilliant plumage flew over- 
head. 

The truth of the matter was, they knew they 
would presently come face to face with the 
planter who had actually picked up the little 
messenger sent out of his cliff bordered prison 
by Professor Bird. And this fact set their 
nerves to trembling with eager anticipations. 

In due time the cart on which the aeroplane 
had been secured, together with the luggage 
which the young aviators wished to carry 
along, drew up before a long, low white build- 
ing, back of which could be seen orange trees 
and other evidences of a real tropical home. 

Their coming must have been noted, for a 
gentleman was advancing from the grove at 
the rear. Senor Carlos looked surprised at 
seeing the caravan bringing up before his door, 
but that was as nothing in comparison with 
his amazement upon learning how one of the 
two young Americanos was the same Andrew 
Bird to whom he had desired his friend, Senor 
Almirez, to forward the strange message 
picked up in his cocoa grove one day several 
months back. 

The boys had learned from Senor Jose that 
the owner of the plantation could understand 
English and even speak it fairly well. Thus 


146 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


they had no need of fetching Felipe along to 
act as interpreter. 

Oh, please first of all let me see the remains 
of the silk parachute that was attached to the 
bark letter!’’ said Andy, after they had con- 
versed for a short time and some of the plant- 
er’s hired servants had unloaded the boxed 
aeroplane, which was stowed away in a place of 
security. 

Doubtless the planter understood the reason 
for the boy’s solicitude. He immediately took 
them inside the house and in another minute 
had thrust into Andy’s eager hands a discol- 
ored piece of silk, such as is used in the mak- 
ing of balloons. 

Nor did either Prank or the Colombian 
planter think it strange that the boy should 
press the token again and again to his lips, 
while tears ran down his face. They could 
understand the feelings that filled his heart, 
and no matter what the nationality may be, 
the honest love of a lad for his father cannot 
but provoke admiration and respect. 

‘‘And now,” said Prank, presently, when 
his cousin had in a measure recovered from 
his first emotion, “will you tell us, Senor Men- 
doza, just how you found this strange commu- 
nication ? I hope you remember the exact day, 
because it is of the greatest importance to us 


THE AIRSHIP LAUNCHED. 


147 


that we learn, as near as possible, from just 
what quarter it came.’’ 

‘^Si, senor, I understand that,” replied the 
planter, eagerly, his dark face aglow with en- 
thusiasm. ‘‘I made note of the day in my 
diary, also the fact that it was the third day 
in succession when the wind blew direct from 
the south, with just a faint turn to the west.” 

‘‘Splendid!” cried Frank, turning to give 
his chum a reassuring nod. “What did I tell 
you, Andy? The forethought of Senor Carlos 
has made our task much easier. There can 
be little doubt, then, that the hot air balloon 
must have started in a region that lies almost 
due south of here, possibly with a slant, as he 
says, toward the south by west quarter, as a 
sailor would call it. And now, senor, can you 
tell us just where a direct line that way would 
bring us?” 

“First over thq lowland and the forests. 
Then, if you go far enough amigos, it is the 
Sierra San Jeronimo mountains you would 
strike,” replied the planter. 

“Yes, I remember them on the map we have, 
and that corresponds exactly with all I had in 
my mind,” Frank observed, his forehead wrin- 
kled with serious thought. 

“What sort of country is it up in those 
mountains?” asked Andy. 


148 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


The planter shrugged his shoulders. 

‘^That I am unable to tell you, amigos, since 
I have never been there. From all I have 
heard I believe it is one of the vrildest and 
most inaccessible regions in all our country. 
Lofty peaks warn back the most daring ex- 
plorer. Few have ever ventured to attempt to 
go among them. Some never came back, they 
say. The superstitious declare those moun- 
tains are filled with evil things. Nothing on 
earth could tempt one of my peons to accom- 
pany an expedition thither.’’ 

‘^Then it is lucky that we will not need any 
assistance in our adventure,” remarked Frank. 
^‘With an aeroplane one may be independent 
of help. And now, Andy, what shall we do? 
It will take us the better part of the day to 
assemble our little flier and get things ready 
for an ascent.” 

‘‘That means another horrible night of 
waiting before we can make a start,” said 
Andy, looking quite forlorn. 

But he soon understood that it could not 
be helped. Both boys were presently hard at 
work, with the deeply interested planter 
watching every move. All the while they con- 
versed and the subject of pretty much all their 
talk had more or less to do with the country, 
the peculiarities of climate, what sort of 


THE AIRSHIP LAUNCHED. 


149 


weather they might expect to have and dozens 
of similar matters. 

Doubtless Sehor Mendoza would like to hear 
of things connected with the great outside 
world, which he seldom saw anything of, but 
he realized that these would keep until after 
the brave young senors had completed their 
task of humanity. 

Before evening came they had everything 
arranged to suit the critical Frank. Both boys 
were pleased to find that the monoplane had 
come through its long journey without any 
damage having been done. 

That night they were uneasy about the pre- 
cious airship, and at their request the planter 
had their beds made up in the shed where the 
^^Bug’’ lay. But there was no attempt made 
to injure it in the least. 

Then came the morning. Andy could hardly 
eat a bite of breakfast, for the eagerness that 
possessed his soul. Every servant on the plan- 
tation had gathered to look with awe upon the 
wonderful bird-like machine, on which, it was 
whispered, these two venturesome young 
Americanos meant to soar among the clouds. 

Finally the last word was spoken, the 
planter shook hands with each of his visitors, 
Frank turned on the power, the aeroplane with 
the motor exhaust sounding like a volley of 


150 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


musketry started to run along the level ground, 
and presently, to the consternation of the en- 
tire gathering, began to climb upward, just 
like a creature of magic ! 

Cries of awe arose from scores of throats 
and to a man the peons threw themselves flat 
on their faces, hardly daring to look at the 
terrifying spectacle. 


AN UNPLEASANT SURPRISE. 


151 


CHAPTER XV. 

AN UNPLEASANT SUBPEISE. 

‘‘At last, Frank, we’re on the move!” 

“Yes,” replied the one at the wheel, as the 
cries and cheers from below were drowned by; 
the volleying motor explosions; “and did you 
see the senor kissing his hand after us, while 
his men were flat on their faces?” 

“It was a queer sight,” Andy remarked. 
“And no wonder these ignorant peons caU our 
little monoplane a ‘devil-bird.’ ” 

“Look down now. Just to think of two 
Yankee boys being allowed to swing over a 
tropical scene like that,” said Frank. 

Both of them were deeply interested. In 
the valley they could see the little town, with 
the river stretching off toward the south. 
Then there were the patches of tropical vege- 
tation, the fruit trees and the cocoa planta- 
tions — all those interesting things which nei- 
ther of them had ever set eyes on before. 

Senor Mendoza had told them how the cof- 
fee was grown upon a certain part of the 
mountain slopes, since it did not do well in the 
valleys, preferring a higher altitude. 

They followed the course of the river gen- 


152 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


erally, intending to cover possibly something 
like eighty or ninety miles before trying to 
comb the land from side to side, in the en- 
deavor to find the strange cliff enclosed valley. 

From time to time Andy would call the at- 
tention of his aeroplane chum to some striking 
feature of the landscape far below. The little 
Kinkaid motor was humming merrily, without 
ever missing a stroke, and Frank, having the 
utmost confidence in its steadiness now, after 
so many trial spins, could take a few seconds 
at a time to observe these things. 

^^When weVe gone something close on an 
hundred miles direct,’’ remarked the pilot of 
the craft, presently, think we’d better make 
a descent, if given the chance.” 

^‘You spoke of that before,” remarked his 
companion, anxiously. ^^What is the reason 
for doing it, Frank?” 

^^Oh, nothing serious,” replied the other. 
^‘We will then be at the parting of the ways, 
you know.” 

You mean we’ll be about to leave the river 
that will have been our guide up to then?” 
asked Andy. 

‘‘Yes,” Frank admitted. “And from that 
time forward we must simply depend on our 
judgment for everything. In that event it 
might be well if we looked over the entire 


AN UNPLEASANT SURPRISE. 


153 


plant, to make sure everything was in apple- 
pie shape.’’ 

Andy breathed freer. 

‘‘Oh, I agree with you there,” he hastened 
to say; “and I’m glad you hadn’t any more 
serious reason. But did you ever see such a 
picture in all your born days? Just look at 
the forest bordering the river. Think of try- 
ing to push through such a dense mass of over- 
grown jungle. And I bet it’s just full of snakes, 
poisonous spiders, lizards and all such things.” 

“Not to mention such trifling citizens as 
jaguars, ocelots, tapirs, alligators, crocodiles 
and their kind,” laughed Frank. 

“Ugh ! what lucky fellows we are to be away 
up here, where we can skim along at the rate 
of thirty miles an hour easily, without half 
trying, and snap our Angers at all those things. 
I tell you, Frank, this aviation business is the 
greatest thing that ever came down the pike.” 

So they continued from time to time to con- 
verse as they kept pushing along, following 
the winding course of the swollen river that 
could be plainly seen below, between its banks 
of forest. 

Frank did not soar high at this time. There 
seemed no need, and besides, both of the boys 
were deeply interested in watching the vari- 


154 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


ous changes that kept taking place in the 
checkerboard landscape below. 

Several times during the first hour they 
passed over hamlets or villages. On such occa- 
sions it was ludicrous to observe the excitement 
that occurred. The Bird boys would not have 
been true to their nature had they not enjoyed 
the tremendous sensation which the sudden 
and unheralded appearance of the aeroplane 
caused in these river settlements. 

Loud shouts fioated up to them that con- 
stantly grew in volume. Men yelled, women 
and children screamed. Many fell flat on their 
faces; others tried to conceal themselves, as 
though they belonged to a covey of wild ducks 
over which a hungry eagle hovered, picking 
out his contemplated dinner. 

And the last thing Andy would see, as he 
looked back, would be wildly running figures 
gesticulating furiously and evidently next door 
to crazy with excitement. Apparently these 
natives believed that the aeroplane must be a 
visitor from another world, or else some mon- 
ster bird of a family long understood to be 
extinct. 

The second hour had nearly ended and 
everything seemed to be moving along smooth- 
ly. Frank saw not a cloud on the horizon thus 


AN UNPLEASANT SURPRISE. 


155 


far. Surely this augured well for the ultimate 
success of their strange expedition. 

Suddenly he heard Andy give vent to a cry 
of alarm. 

‘^What is it?” he demanded, quickly. 

<<Turn her upward, quick! They are going 
to shoot at us !” shouted the other. 

Prank instantly started to obey, and while 
their forward progress still continued unabat- 
ed, the aeroplane commenced to head toward 
a higher altitude. 

Immediately he heard the dull report of a 
gun from below. He dared not bend his head 
to look, since all his attention was needed to 
take care of his machine at such a critical mo- 
ment. But the whine of the bullet as it passed 
close by was very plainly heard. 

Then came other shots, many of them, and 
the air seemed full of strange hissing sounds. 
Twice Prank felt a slight shock that told him 
some part of the aeroplane had been struck 
by one of the flying missiles. His heart seemed 
to jump almost into his mouth, as he trembled 
for the result. But nothing happened. The 
motor kept up its insistent humming, and there 
was not a quiver to indicate that a vital part 
of the monoplane had been injured. 

‘‘Andy, are you hurt?” he called, after the 


156 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


volley had ceased, the marksmen below having 
evidently exhausted their ammunition. 

‘ ^ Only a scratch, ’ ’ came the reply. ^ ‘ Hardly 
drew blood. Think a splinter from the wood 
where a spent bullet zipped past must have 
hit me. It’s all right, Prank! We ran the 
gantlet just fine. But all the same I guess 
it would be better for us to keep a little higher 
after this.” 

“Did you make them out and were they gov- 
ernment troops, do you think?” Prank asked^ 
for though he managed to turn his head, al- 
ready had they made such speed that only the 
interminable forest could be seen in their rear. 

“No,” returned his comrade. “I just reckon 
it was another camp of these insurrectos. You 
remember the senor said there were apt to be 
more than one crowd of them up the river. 
It’s the only way to get in and out of this 
country, and everything that happens has to 
count on a water route. I guess the Magda- 
lena is about the same to this part of Colombia 
that the old Nile is to all Egypt.” 

“Well, it was a narrow escape, all right,” 
Prank declared. “I don’t just like the sound 
of those bullets all around when you’re six or 
eight hundred feet up in the air.” 

Andy had recovered from his recent fright 
by now and could even laugh. 


AN UNPLEASANT SURPRISE. 


157 


‘‘I should say nix/’ he observed; ‘^especially 
when you know that one little clip on either 
wing would upset us like a stone. Excuse me, 
if you please. I’ll never be fully happy when 
flying until we invent some sort of little para- 
chute that in case of a drop will give a fellow 
a chance for his money.” 

Another hour passed, when Frank declared 
they had now reached the point where a de- 
scent would be advisable in case they found an 
opening that looked suitable. 

“There are the mountains over yonder on 
the right,” he said, “and from now on we had 
better begin to scour the country, covering 
every mile just as though we had a comb and 
meant to explore it all.” 

The chance to drop came presently, and as 
the opening proved everything they could de- 
sire, a landing was made without the least 
trouble. Here they rested and partook of a 
light lunch, having brought plenty of provi- 
sions along, together with a gun of the latest 
repeating type, with which Colonel Josiah had 
presented them. 

Frank, upon looking the aeroplane over a 
little later, discovered that he had been wise 
in deciding to make a halt. There was need 
of some attention. Certain parts had become 
weakened by the strain, either in the long voy- 


158 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


age and handling on board the steamer, or 
else in this new flight. 

He was determined to be thorough in all he 
did, and this consumed more or less time, so 
that when he Anally pronounced the mono- 
plane in perfect condition the afternoon was 
half gone. 

Still, they must go up and put in an hour 
or two searching. Andy was too wild with 
impatience to hear of anything else, and 
Frank saw no reason for not complying. 

^‘But we must be sure to get down again 
before night comes,” he remarked, after they 
had made a successful rise and were speeding 
above the top of the thick forest. ‘Hf we 
should be caught out at night I rather guess 
it would be a serious piece of business.” And 
Andy agreed with him. 

For quite a time they soared aloft, Andy 
using the binoculars almost constantly, watch- , 
ing the country below and occasionally sweep-' 
ing the distance. 

Frank was thrilled to hear his chum sud- 
denly give utterance to a cry, but it was more 
of amazement than delight that gave birth to 
this ejaculation. 

‘‘What is it now, Andy; more insurrectos?” 
he demanded, ready to manipulate the planes 
and strike for higher regions. 


AN UNPLEASANT SURPRISE. 


159 


‘‘No, no, not this time,” came the quick re- 
ply; “but Frank, as sure as you live, there’s 
that plagued old biplane just rising up yonder 
a mile away. And somehow I seem to feel that 
it spells trouble for us.” 


160 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


CHAPTER XVL 

THE AIE CHASE. 

One hasty glance told Prank that there could 
be no mistake. Only too well did he know 
the construction of that same biplane that had 
in the near past competed with them for hon- 
ors in the race for Old Thunder Top’s crown. 

‘^You’re right, Andy,” he said, earnestly; 
‘‘and it seems to me they’re heading for us 
right now. What do you make them out to 
be ? Can you see who is handling the wheel ? 
Is it Puss Carberry ?” 

“Yes, I’m dead sure of that; but Frank, 
there’s somebody else with him!” 

“Sandy?” asked his chum. 

“No, it can’t be. There, I had a good look 
at him, and Frank, he’s got a beard! It’s a 
man !” answered Andy, in tense tones. 

Frank’s first action was to move a lever that 
would change their course and place the bi- 
plane directly behind them. His next was to 
throw on more speed, so that the faithful little 
motor started to humming with the old-time 
rapidity that reminded Andy of the occasion 
when they put it to its best efforts in order 
to rush ahead of their rival of the air. 


THE AIR CHASE. 


161 


‘^Then we must guess from that Puss and 
Sandy have fallen into the hands of the reb- 
els, since there are no government troops up 
here, the sehor said,” he observed, presently. 
‘^Are they gaining on us now, Andy?” 

‘‘I don’t think so,” replied the one who held 
the glass, ^ though Puss seems to be getting 
a whole lot of speed out of his Gnome engine 
right now. Reckon he must have overhauled 
it, or else found some way to put her up an- 
other notch.” 

‘^How strange to think that our old rivalry 
is being renewed away down here in this coun- 
try, thousands of miles from home,” remarked 
Frank, after a while. 

‘^Huh! seems to me there would be some- 
thing doing if you happened to run across 
Puss Carberry at the other side of the world,” 
declared Andy. 

The race kept up for some time, neither 
seeming to gain to any appreciable extent. Of 
course both boys were keyed up to a state of 
intense nervousness. Passing through the air 
at this fearful speed fully five hundred feet 
above the ground was surely enough to excite 
them. One little accident and they would hard- 
ly know enough to give a single shout of hor- 
ror before the end must rush upon them. And 
yet Frank appeared as cool as though sitting 


162 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


beside a camp fire, laying out some contem- 
plated air cruise on paper. 

Andy was full of complaints. 

‘‘Aw, now, whatever do you suppose those 
measly old insurrectos want to chase us for 
in this style?” he growled. “We’re attend- 
ing to our private business and not bother- 
ing them one little bit. Why don’t they leave 
a fellow alone? Goodness knows we’ve Just 
got trouble enough on our hands without this.” 

“I don’t know,” said Frank, reflectively, 
“but I reckon they either want our monoplane 
or else believe we’re in the employ of the gov- 
ernment, and have been sent up here to spy 
on their movements. Anyhow, it seems plain 
that they mean to make a big effort to get us.” 

“Which they won’t, if we know it!” cried 
Andy. “But see here, Frank, that chap is 
nervy, all right, going up with Puss and stand- 
ing all this racket. A tenderfoot is generally 
rattled even with a slow flight. He seems to 
be holding out.” 

“I’ve been thinking about that,” replied his 
chum. “And Andy, it looks to me as if that 
fellow must know something about aviation. 
If I could only glimpse him through the glasses 
I’d soon tell, for he’d show it by the way he 
sits there alongside Puss. A new beginner 


THE AIR CHASE. 


163 


would be hugging the upright for dear life, 
and showing all the signs of fear.’’ 

‘‘Yes, I know, because I did that same,” an- 
swered Andy, once again raising the binocu- 
lars as he twisted his head around. 

‘‘How is it?” asked Frank. 

“Not much signs of fright about him, as far 
as I can see,” came the ready reply. 

“Then make up your mind he’s been up in 
an aeroplane before. Perhaps he’s some 
French or German, who has thrown his for- 
tunes in with the man who wants to sit in the 
presidential chair at Bogota, and in his own 
country he must have seen something of avia- 
tion. Oh, well, it doesn’t make much differ- 
ence to us. We just have to keep them at a 
distance and take our chances.” 

“But Frank ” 

“Yes, I know what you’re going to say, 
Andy ; that night will soon be coming swoop- 
ing down on us. That’s so, and I’m sorry in 
one way, for it’s going to be a tough old job 
finding a suitable place to fold our wings on 
in the darkness. But we’re up against it good 
and hard, you see, and it’s what you might call 
Hobson’s choice.” 

Andy showed more positive signs of anger. 

“What business have they got bothering us 
this way?” he grumbled. “Say, don’t you sup- 


164 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


pose it would be all right for me to try a few 
shots at ’em with the fine Marlin repeating rifie 
we’re carrying? Perhaps I could give ’em a 
scare anyhow and make ’em haul off.” 

‘‘No, I wouldn’t think of it,” replied Frank, 
hastily. “You might cause trouble to our own 
delicately balanced little aeroplane by firing. 
And then again, what if you brought about 
an accident and sent them down to the earth 
like so many stones?” 

“But you know those other chaps banged 
away at us and they didn’t bother their heads 
a cent whether they upset our whole business 
or not,” objected Andy, belligerently. 

“Two wrongs never make a right, Andy.” 

“But when they opened fire on us,” the other 
went on, complainingly, “that constituted a 
declaration of war, and so you see, we’d be 
quite justified in giving ’em back the same kind 
of medicine.” 

“You forget that one of those two in the 
biplane is a former schoolmate of ours and 
that perhaps he’s just being compelled to chase 
us right now,” said Frank. 

“Think so, do you?” growled Andy, above 
the rattle of the exhaust; “well, I’d like to 
warrant you that Puss Carberry is grinning 
right now, because of the fright he thinks he’s 
giving us. No, sir, he’s only too willing to do 


THE AIR CHASE. 


165 


anytMng to upset our plans. I know him 
pretty well, and I wouldn’t put any meanness 
past that fellow.” 

Frank in secret did begin to feel more than 
anxious. The afternoon was almost over and 
the sun perilously near the western horizon. 
Too well did he know how rapidly darkness 
came after the disappearance of the king of 
day. 

He bade Andy pay more attention to the lay 
of the country ahead of them. 

‘‘We’re keeping well ahead of the biplane,” 
he observed, “and there’s little danger of their 
overtaking us. But in case they drop out of 
the race we must try and know something of 
the chances for a landing ourselves.” 

“Gee! it looks pretty punk down there!” 
admitted Andy, after he had carefully turned 
the glasses forward and down. 

“That’s what is bothering me,” Frank said. 
“We’ve sure got to drop, sooner or later, be- 
cause it would be utterly impossible for us 
to keep afloat all night. And if there happens 
to be no opening in that dense forest, how can 
we land?” 

“Listen! as sure as you live they’re trying 
to wing us with a shot !” cried Andy. 

“Well, I wouldn’t bother about that. The 
fellow only has a revolver, if I know the sound 


166 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


of one, and lie could never reach us at this 
distance. It tells me that he’s got to about 
the limit and that something is going to change 
pretty soon, mark my words, Andy.” 

Of course one of Frank’s objects in saying 
this was to encourage his chum, for he knew 
that in all probability Andy was getting pretty 
close to what he himself would call a ^^blue 
funk.” 

Sure enough the reports continued until just 
six had reached their ears faintly. 

‘‘That ends it,” observed Frank, compla- 
cently. 

“And he never touched us,” echoed his cou- 
sin, evidently with more or less relief. 

“Now take a look back and see what they 
are doing, Andy.” 

“H’m! still coming right along at top-notch 
speed,” replied the other. 

“All right. There’s going to be a change 
soon. Look down, Andy.” 

“Oh, Frank, what a dandy open space! If 
only that plagued biplane was in Guinea, how 
easy we could spiral down and make a landing 
there!” 

“Yes!” said Frank. “And, mark me, that 
is just what they intend doing. As for us, 
we’ll have to move along further into the wil- 
derness and hope that another chance will 


167 


THE AIR CHASE. 

^ 

come to let us out before everytbiii^ is blotted 
from sight by utter darkness.” \ 

‘^Frank, theyVe just sighted ^tiie open 
spot!” cried Andy, a few seconds later, 

^‘All right, what did I say?” demanded his 
cousin. 

^ ^They’ve given up the chase, sure!” 

‘^And are about to drop down to make a 
landing for the night; is that so?” asked 
Frank, eagerly, for their own chances were 
getting poorer with every passing minute and 
secretly he was more worried than he chose to 
admit. 

‘‘Just what they’re doing right now, begin- 
ning to spiral down. Puss and his old biplane 
weren’t in it again with our dandy little Bug. 
There they go, Frank. Don’t I wish we had 
as good a place to grab hold of the old earth!” 

“Well,” Frank continued, gravely, “turn 
around and look your prettiest for it, then. 
Don’t let even a half way decent spot go by. 
Any port in a storm, the sailor says, and that 
ought to apply to the airship tar just as well. 
See anything yet. Chum Andy?” 

“N-no, can’t say that I do,” came the reply, 
as the other eagerly bent his gaze on the tree 
tops that they were beginning to approach 
closer, for Frank had turned the lever of the 


168 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


deflecting rudder in order to start the mono- 
plane earthward. 

And the more they dropped the lower the 
sun seemed to get, until part of his glowing 
disc appeared to touch the horizon. 

Already it was growing dusk below them, 
and the dense foliage of the interlocked 
branches of the trees seemed to offer an in- 
superable barrier to a successful landings 


THE CAMP IN THE JUNGLE. 


169 


CHAPTER XVII. 

THE CAMP IN THE TROPICAL JUNGLE. 

‘‘Frank, this is tough luck!” Andy ex- 
claimed, presently. 

“Keep up your spirits, old fellow!” called 
out tha other, cheerily. “Has the biplane suc- 
ceeded in making a landing yet?” 

“I guess so,” replied Andy, moodily. “Can’t 
see any sign of her back there. And besides, 
it’s actually getting dark down below, even 
while we can see a bit of the sun up here.” 

“That’s because of the contrast. I’ll drop 
still lower, so we’ll just clear the top of the 
forest. Then you won’t need the glasses, Andy. 
Both of us must keep a clever lookout for a 
chance. Every now and then there happens 
to be some opening in the forest, you know.” 

“Don’t I hope we find one, though,” de- 
clared the other. ‘ ‘ Oh, wouldn ’t it be too mean 
for anything, Frank, if we smashed the pre- 
cious little machine just when we are at the 
last stage of our big undertaking? If I lived 
through it I’d be broken hearted sure.” 

“Look, then,” said Frank, earnestly, “and 
you take the right, while I keep an eye on the 
left. Both of us can watch out ahead. If it 


170 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


comes at all to be of any use, it’s got to be 
found inside of the next five minutes!” 

‘^So soon as tbat?” echoed the other, in dis- 
tressed tones. ‘‘Oh, I’m afraid we’re in for 
the very worst experience we ever met up 
with.” 

“Ha! hold on, [Amdy. What’s that dead 
ahead?” cried Frank, who suddenly decreased 
the speed of the little motor. 

“It’s an opening of some sort, though aw- 
ful little!” ejaculated Andy. “We can never 
do it, I’m afraid, Frank.” 

“We’ve just got to, no matter what chances 
we take. Hold hard now and if you can jump 
out in time, help stop her before we wreck her 
against a tree.” 

Even while speaking the air pilot was start- 
ing to drop down. He had made a specialty 
of this part of the business, knowing how very 
important it must always be to aviators. The 
rise was nothing compared to the descent, for 
many a gallant aircraft has been injured or 
even wrecked by clumsy manipulation, want 
of room or some other cause while landing 
after a flight. 

Andy gripped hold of an upright. He tried 
to see down into that little slash in the great 
forest, as though it might hold every hope con- 


THE CAMP IN THE JUNGLE. 


171 


nected with his fortunes and the success or 
failure of his mission of mercy. 

‘^Oh, be careful, Frank!” he called, as they 
just barely missed the top of a great tree. 

There was no need of saying this, as Andy 
ought to have known. No one could possibly 
be more careful than Frank Bird. And yet 
this was one of those times when daring had 
to go hand in hand with caution. The space 
in which they meant to try for a landing was 
so very small that it seemed necessary for the 
aeroplane to come down almost as lightly as a 
feather. 

Fortunately the youthful pilot possessed a 
good pair of eyes. And the gloom had not as 
yet entirely blotted out all features of the land- 
scape, now that they were so close to the earth. 

Andy was holding himself in readiness. He 
knew that there would perhaps be an oppor- 
tunity for him to drop to the ground and by 
pulling back, help to bring the little airship to 
a full stop before they banged up against a 
tree at the further side of the little glade. 

Never before had Andy found himself com- 
pelled to do such a queer stunt,” as he after- 
wards termed it; but he was braced to exert 
himself now to the best of his ability. 

‘‘Jump!” shouted Frank, as they came 
roughly in contact with the ground. 


172 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


And Andy went. He never knew whether 
he jumped purposely or lost his grip of that 
upright after the shock of the collision; but 
the next thing he realized he was straining 
himself with might and main to hold back the 
monoplane, already gliding along with sundry 
violent bumps, on the three bicycle wheels. 

Hurrah! What did I say?” cried Frank, 
as the aeroplane came to a complete standstill 
close to the other border of trees. 

There was a frightened series of grunts close 
by and some big unwieldy animal went rushing 
away through the dense undergrowth, crash- 
ing along as though badly frightened at this 
queer thing that had dropped down from the 
sky. 

^‘Wow! whatever was that, do you know, 
Frank?” cried the one on the ground. 

don’t know for sure, because I only had 
the least peep of something that looked like 
a small elephant making off,” replied the 
other, also alighting. 

Andy was already reaching for the repeat- 
ing rifle, which had been securely fastened in 
the frame of the monoplane. 

‘‘But Frank, they don’t have such things as 
elephants down in South America?” he ex- 
postulated. 


THE CAMP IN THE JUNGLE. 


173 


‘‘Sure they don’t, laughed Prank, feeling 
particularly good over the grand success that 
had attended their perilous landing. “Nor a 
rhinocerous, nor a hippopotamus ; but they do 
have the next largest beast, and that’s a tapir. 
He’s something like a big pig and not very 
dangerous, the senor said. That was what we 
frightened off just now, I reckon.” 

“Well, here we are on land again and mighty 
lucky to get down without some sort of a 
smash. Frank, you don’t think anything was 
broken when we struck, do you?” 

“Of course I can’t say for sure, but I be- 
lieve not. But all the same I must give a good 
look in the morning before we make another 
start, ’ ’ was the reply Frank returned. 

“And now we’re just got to stay here all 
night ?” remarked Andy, who still held the gun 
in his hands. 

“That isn’t anything. We’ll soon have a 
cheery blaze started that will keep the prowl- 
ers away, I guess. Get busy, Andy, and see 
what we can do. But we’ll start it some dis- 
tance away from our gasoline tank, remem- 
ber.” 

“But won’t they be apt to see a fire ?” asked 
the other, as he reluctantly placed the rifle 


174 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


down and started to gathering wood, no easy 
task in the increasing darkness. 

^‘Do you mean Puss and that other fellow?’^ 
Frank asked, with a laugh. ^‘Oh, they’re a 
mile or two off, and even if they could see 
the biggest of fires I’d defy them to get half 
way here if they took the whole night to cut 
their way through that mass of trailing vines 
and brush. Don’t bother your head about that 
crowd, Andy. I hope we’re done with them 
for good.” 

His reassuring words seemed to have con- 
siderable effect on his cousin, who up to re- 
cently had himself been a most cheery fellow. 

^^Well,” he said, ‘‘we’ve sure got a whole 
bunch of gratitude on tap for the lucky way 
we dropped in here. Chances looked twenty 
to one it couldn’t be done. And I’d like to 
wager that no other air pilot could have made 
the ripple so well.” 

“You’re prejudiced, old fellow, because I’m 
one of the Bird boys,” laughed Frank as he 
struck a match and applied it to the bunch of 
dead grass he had gathered in the spot selected 
for their fire. 

It was a dozen yards away from the aero- 
plane and about the same from the nearest line 
of great bushy trees. Immediately the flame 


THE CAMP IN THE JUNGLE. 


175 


sprang up, dispelling the darkness to some 
extent. 

‘‘Shucks ! but that makes a big improvement 
and no mistake,” said Andy, stooping to drop 
some wood on the fire. “I always like to see 
what I’m doing. And more than ever when 
I’m in a strange place. Hark! what was that, 
do you suppose, Frank?” 

A sound had come from the depths of the 
forest not unlike the wailing of a babe. Frank 
could give a guess what made it, but he did 
not immediately say so. 

“Say, we must have landed close to some 
native shack, and that’s a baby crying!” Andy 
declared. 

‘ ‘ Hardly, ’ ’ came from Frank. ‘ ‘ That ’s only 
one of our cat friends giving tongue, perhaps 
calling to his mate to come and see the funny 
objects that dropped from the skies.” 

“ Wow ! reckon now you must mean a yellow 
boy, a jaguar! I bet you, Frank, there’s a 
heap of ’em around us right now. How do 
we know but what every tree hides one of the 
critters, watching everything we do? I can 
tell you right now that I don’t wander far 
from this jolly little blaze tonight. And be- 
sides, one of us has just got to keep a grip 
on this gun all the time. I don’t hanker after 


176 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


being carried away and made a meal of by a 
big hungry cat.’’ 

‘‘Oh, the fire will scare them away all right, 
I believe. There isn’t an animal that doesn’t 
dread fire. Always keep that in mind, Andy, 
when trouble comes,” said Frank, earnestly. 

“I mean to,” replied the other, as he once 
more started to pick up wood, but it could be 
noticed that while doing so Andy always kept 
on eye on the alert, as if he really believed 
what he had said about the chances of their 
being watched by an army of jaguars. 

“There’s another sort of cry, Frank,” he 
remarked, presently. 

“Yes, and although I couldn’t say for sure, 
I believe it is made by a colony of monkeys, 
traveling through the woods at night,” the 
other replied, after stopping to listen for a 
minute to the odd sounds. 

“Monkeys!” cried Andy, smiling broadly. 

Well, I declare I had forgotten that they have 
them all through the tropical regions around 
the Orinoco, the Magdalena and the Amazon. 
And so that’s a menagerie traveling over the 
treetops, is it? Wish I could just get a look.” 

“Well, I don’t think they’re far away,” re- 
marked his chum. 

“Not for me. I know when I’m well off. 
This camp looks good enough, without my wan- 


THE CAMP IN THE JUNGLE. 


177 


dering around in that awful place. Let ’em 
jabber, and the yellow cats snarl; but Andy 
Bird stays right at his fireside tonight.” 

‘‘And I guess you’re right,” said Frank, as 
more noises arose all around them. 


178 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


CHAPTER XVIII. 

WHEN FEANK STOOD GUARD. 

Pretty soon things began to look fairly 
cheerful in that lonely glade situated in the 
heart of the tropical forest. A fine fire crack- 
led and shot up its red fiames, lighting up the 
opening in which the young aviators had so 
luckily alighted. 

Andy was bending over the fire making a 
pot of coffee, for they had brought along with 
them the necessary cooking utensils, including 
a frying pan, not knowing how long they might 
be adrift in the wilderness, far from the domi- 
cile of any human being. 

‘^How do you find it?’’ he sang out, for his 
chum had been examining the aeroplane as 
well as possible under the circumstances. 

‘^Everything seems to be hunky-dory,” came 
the reply. “I’m going to start up the engine 
now to see if it works without a hitch.” 

“Don’t I hope so,” was what Andy said, as 
he paused in his task to watch. 

A minute afterward he gave a little cheer, 
as the familiar throbbing sound was heard, 
making the sweetest music that ever greeted 
the listening ear of an aviator. 


WHEN PRANK STOOD GUARD. 


179 


‘‘That sounds good to me, Frank!’’ he cried, 

“Nothing wrong about it, thank goodness!” 
came the reply of the other, as he again shut 
off power, because they could not afford to 
waste a drop of their valuable supply of gaso- 
line. 

“Well, suppose you drop in here and sample 
this brand of coffee. What with the cold snack 
we brought, and which still holds out, we ought 
to get along right decently, Frank.” 

“I tell you right now,” replied the other, as 
he came up, “I’m hungry enough to eat any- 
thing going; yes, even some of our native 
cook’s worst garlic-scented messes. And that 
coffee just seems to make me wild. Shove a 
cup over this way as quick as you know how, 
brother. Yum, yum, that goes straight to the 
spot. And this cheese and crackers isn’t half 
way bad, even if it is pilot biscuit.” 

“Well,” said Andy, “ain’t you a pilot all 
right, and don’t they feed sailors on this hard 
tack generally? Sure we’ve got no kick com- 
ing. Everything is to the mustard, and if you 
asked me my opinion right now I’d say things 
are coming our way.” 

“Listen to that chorus, would you?” re- 
marked Frank, as various sounds arose all 
through the dense timber around them; “they 
seem to be heading this way sure enough.” 


180 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


At that Andy reached again for the gun on 
which he seemed to depend so much. 

‘‘Well, if any of ’em take a sneaking notion 
to look in on us, why I’m meaning to use up 
a few of these flat-nosed cartridges in this six- 
shot magazine,” he remarked, sturdily, as he 
glanced cautiously around. 

“No fear of that now,” said his chum, reas- 
suringly. “The danger will come, if it does at 
all, later on, when we have more trouble keep- 
ing the fire going. So after we get this sup- 
per down we shall have to gather fuel. It 
may not be quite so nice to go after it when 
we see a line of yellow eyes watching all 
around.” 

“Oh, shucks! You’re just stringing me now, 
Frank. If I really thought they’d be as bold 
as that, why I’d climb a tree, that’s what.” 

“What good would that do, tell me?” jeered 
the other. “Why, these cats just live in trees 
and can leap twenty feet if they can one. Per- 
haps if you found a hollow tree now you might 
feel safe, but in the branches of one — never! 
Why, the monkeys would come and laugh at 
you. The ground is the best place for us, after 
all, Andy.” 

“More coffee in the pot, if you ain’t afraid 
of staying awake,” suggested the cook. 

“That would just suit me, for you see I’m 


WHEN PRANK STOOD GUARD. 


181 


more afraid of going to sleep than anything 
else while on guard duty,” Frank remarked, 
soberly. 

By degrees Andy realized that this business 
of camping in the heart of a tropical forest 
was no laughing matter. Still, they had es- 
caped so many threatening perils that he was 
beginning to believe they must be under the 
protecting wing of some favoring god and that 
success lay just ahead. 

They sat up and talked for a long time. 
Neither would admit being at all sleepy, and 
yet Frank caught his chum yawning ever so 
many times. 

‘‘Here, you, just make up your mind to turn 
in and get seven winks,” he said, pretending 
to be giving orders with all the airs of a com- 
manding officer. 

“I suppose I’ll just have to,” came the re- 
ply, as the other started to roll up close to 
the fire, for they had no blankets with them 
this time. “Do you know I was just thinking 
about Puss.” 

“Well, what of him?” asked Frank. 

“What if they start to chase us again in 
the morning? Are we going to put up with 
that funny business right along? I say no. 
Let’s warn ’em that we’re armed and can bore 
a hole right through their jolly old biplane. 


182 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


upsetting them any time they get close enough. 
I’m drawing the line on tomorrow, because 
somehow I feel it in here that it’s going to 
be the greatest day of my life,” and Andy 
laid his hand on his heart as he spoke. 

‘^Yes, that would be our best plan,” admit- 
ted Frank. ‘‘We’ve already stood quite 
enough of that funny business, as you call it. 
They even fired at us. Depend on it, Andy, 
they won’t follow us very far next time.” 

And Andy, seeing the way his chum’s mouth 
was firmly set, made up his mind that Frank 
had reached the end of his patience. Con- 
tented with the prospects for the morrow he 
therefore lay down to get some sleep. 

“I say, Frank,” he called out presently. 

“Well, what now?” asked the one on guard, 
who had possession of the rifie and had taken 
up his position so that he could have a clear 
view of the open space all about the camp. 

“If one of the prowlers tries to drag me off, 
remember I’ve got my leg tied to this stake I 
knocked into the ground. While he’s tugging 
you can have a bully good chance to^tnock him 
over, see?” 

“All right,” grinned Frank. “I’ll remem- 
ber. But let out a whoop if you feel yourself 
going. I might be looking the other way.” 

“You just bet I will,” mumbled Andy, curl- 


WHEN FRANK STOOD GUARD. 


183 


ing himself up as near the fire as he dared 
creep. 

And in three minutes Frank knew from the 
heavy breathing coming from that quarter, 
that his chum had found no trouble in getting 
to sleep, regardless of the various sounds well- 
ing up from the neighboring forest, and the 
fears that possessed his boyish soul. 

Frank sometimes sat down ; and again, feel- 
ing cramped in this position, he would rise to 
his feet, and walk back and forth. But all the 
time he kept the gun in his possession, with 
the hammer pulled back, ready for business. 
And constantly did he maintain a close watch 
along the nearer border of the undergrowth 
that lay there, so dense and filled with mystery. 

Time passed on. 

It seemed as though a thousand things flitted 
through the active mind of the young aviator 
as he thus stood guard over the camp. Once 
again he was back in good old Bloomsbury, 
where he had spent so many happy days. He 
could see the faces of his boyhood friends, 
Larry, Elephant and others. 

Frequently he would detect a movement here 
or there among the trees ; and at such times he 
could easily imagine that some animal belong- 
ing to the forest was creeping closer in. The 
question was, whether simple curiosity urged 


184 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


them to do this thing, or a design upon the 
occupants of the camp. 

Frank had been in other situations calling 
for considerable pluck, and never failed to 
meet the emergency, nor did he now. 

It must have been some three hours back 
that Andy lay down to sleep. That had been 
the limit of time arranged upon; but Frank 
did not show any signs of intending to awaken 
the other. 

‘‘Let him sleep,” he said to himself, as he 
walked up and down, for by now he was begin- 
ning to feel very drowsy himself, in spite of 
the coffee. “He needs it more than I do. And 
besides, I’m a little dubious as to what sort of 
watch Andy would keep. Anyhow, I can 
stand it a while longer. Hello! what’s that 
mean?” 

His attention had been attracted toward a 
movement in the brush at the nearest point of 
the forest. It was not thirty feet distant. 
Could one of those long-bodied muscular ja- 
guars cover that distance in a wild leap ? What 
if without warning he should see a tawny 
figure fiashing through the air, and headed 
straight for him? 

Frank threw the gun up to his shoulder as 
if to try and see how readily he could cover 
such a fiying form. As he did so he heard a 


WHEN FRANK STOOD GUARD. 


185 


low and ominous growl, which undoubtedly 
sprang from the very spot where he had just 
caught that suspicious movement. 

He bent his head to look closer, and as he 
did so an exclamation fell from his lips. 

^‘And that’s no owl staring at me, either,” 
he said to himself, as he caught the singular 
glow of what seemed like two balls of fire, just 
under the lower growth. 

Frank knew what they undoubtedly must be. 
He had seen the orbs of a cat shine in this 
phosphorescent way in the darkness. There 
could be no doubt but that he was being sur- 
veyed by one of those savage beasts whose 
whining he and Andy had heard around the 
camp for hours. 

‘‘And I declare if that purring sound 
doesn’t come from there, too,” he muttered, as 
he sank down upon one knee, the better to aim 
his rifle. “What was that the old senor was 
telling me about these beasts? Didn’t he say 
they jerked their tail to and fro like a pendu- 
lum, and made a queer noise just before they 
jumped? If that is so then this fellow is get- 
ting ready to leap over right now. Time I was 
doing something, if I don’t want him to drop 
on my chum like a rubber ball. Well, here goes 
to take him between those yellow eyes. Steady 
now, my boy, steady!” 


186 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


CHAPTER XIX. 

PIKEBEANDS AND JAGUAES. 

‘‘Bang!’’ 

“Wow! are they coming in on ns?” shouted 
Andy, suddenly aroused by the sharp report 
of the repeating rifle. 

He bounded to his feet, and from his manner 
of action it was plain to be seen that he remem- 
bered exactly the condition of affairs at the 
time of his taking passage for the Land of 
Dreams. 

Frank had aimed straight between those 
glowing eyes at the time he fired. And as he 
was perfectly calm at the time, it stood to 
reason that his bullet went direct to the mark 
he meant it should. 

He saw a yellow object threshing about 
under the dense growth, and realized that he 
had given the adventurous jaguar something 
that was apt to wind up his career as a terror 
to the monkey hosts of the forest. 

But this was not all Frank saw. Another 
figure had appeared just ten paces farther 
along, and he realized that a second jaguar had 
crept out of the copse, evidently bent on 
charging the camp. 


FIREBRANDS AND JAGUARS. 


187 


‘‘There’s two more, Frank! Oh! my, it’s a 
dozen I guess!” whooped Andy, who had 
found a better opportunity to see in other 
quarters. 

“Grab a firebrand, quick!” shouted Frank, 
trying to get a bead on the second slinking 
figure ; and yet hesitating about firing, because 
of the great risk that must ensue should he 
only wound the fierce monster. 

He saw out of the corner of his eye that 
Andy made a plunge toward the fire and was 
snatching a brand out in each hand. 

“Wave them around your head, and shout 
like thunder!” he cried, at the same time 
starting in to do this latter himself. 

Perhaps it was a comical thing in some 
respects. Andy often laughed over it after- 
wards; but just then it seemed serious enough. 
The way both of them let loose with their 
strong young voices would have made a foot- 
ball cheer captain turn green with envy. They 
fairly awoke the echoes slumbering in the 
depths of the forest. 

And Andy waved those two torches like a 
good fellow, back and forth, in and out, weav- 
ing them as an expert Indian club athlete 
might do with his heavy weights, until the 
rushing fiames roared again and again because 
of their rapid passage through the air. 


188 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


^ ^They’re licked already, Frank!” whooped 
Andy, as he daringly began to advance with 
his flaming beacons swinging around and 
around. Look at the coward moving back, 
would you? Talk to me about your guns, they 
ain’t in it with these things, when it comes to 
scaring off a pack of wild beasts. Scat! you 
terror, or I’ll just swat you one alongside your 
jaw. Growl at me, will you? There, take 
that, hang you!” 

To the astonishment of Frank, Andy, who 
had rushed straight at one of the retreating 
animals, suddenly hurled a blazing brand 
straight at the jaguar. In his palmy baseball 
days Andy had never amounted to a great deal 
as a pitcher ; but all the same he made a beauti- 
ful throw right then and there. 

The whirling, blazing fagot of wood struck 
the slinking beast full in the side. Frank 
threw up his gun, ready to shoot should the 
jaguar, as he feared might be the case, leap 
at his chum. But there proved to be no need. , 
Instead, the brute was evidently alarmed at 
this novel weapon, something entirely beyond 
his ken. 

Frank heard him give a snarl that told of 
mingled rage and fright. Then he made a 
spring, but away from the fire, and into the 


FIREBRANDS AND JAGUARS. 


189 


dense undergrowth from whence he had just 
issued so bravely. 

Looking around Prank saw that the glade 
was deserted of four-footed foes. The whirl- 
ing torches had done the work. 

‘‘Bully for us!” shouted the excited Andy, 
ready to dance in his delight over the success 
of his labors. “Didn’t we send ’em a flying, 
though? Perhaps they just dare to come 
snoopin’ around here again, when they’re not 
asked ! Prank, I guess you nailed that critter, 
all right. Dast we look and see?” 

“Sure we will,” returned Prank, instantly. 
“Pick up another bit of burning wood. Then 
let me go just ahead of you, so that I can shoot 
if I have to.” 

They thus boldly advanced toward the spot 
where Prank had first sighted the blazing 
yellow orbs. 

“I can see something there!” declared 
Andy, who possessed sharp eyes. 

“Yes, it’s the beast, all right. But I can’t 
say for sure whether he’s down on his back, 
or crouching for a spring. Careful, not so fast, 
Andy.” And Prank kept covering the object 
with his rifle as foot by foot they kept on. 

“He’s lying on his side! He’s a dead duck, 
all right!” sang out Andy, waving his fire vig- 
orously to and fro. 


190 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


^ ^You’re right, he’s stone dead!” observed 
the other, a touch of natural pride in his voice ; 
for it was no mean feat to kill so ferocious a 
beast as a jaguar, after seeing only his two 
eyes shining in the darkness beyond the fire- 
light. 

Frank stooped down, and catching hold of 
one of the dead animal’s hind legs, started 
dragging it toward the fire. 

^‘Hold on there,” said Andy; don’t tell me 
we’re going to have a steak off that old cat? 
I can stand for a good deal, but I’d go hungry 
a long time before I’d eat any of him!^^ 

Don’t worry about that,” laughed Frank. 
^^But think what a bully old rug his hide will 
make some day. I’m going to try and take it 
off, if I can, while you’re getting breakfast in 
the morning. It’s worth while.” 

Andy looked as though he doubted the 
ability of his chiun to accomplish the feat ; but 
then he was counting without his host; for 
when the chance came Frank deftly removed 
the pelt, and kept it for a reminder of his haz- 
ardous shot. 

Andy insisted on taking his turn at playing 
guard, when he found out what time it was. 
First of all Frank saw that the fire was 
revived, with plenty of fuel handy. Then, 
after giving his chum a few last instructions, 


FIREBRANDS AND JAGUARS. 


191 


he consented to lie down. But his sleep could 
not have been very sound, for frequently he 
would raise his head, and take a look around; 
seeing nothing suspicious he would again lie 
down. 

So the night passed away. 

Frank was on deck an hour and more before 
the dawn came. He felt too anxious concern- 
ing the possibilities of the coming day to sleep 
much. 

So Andy started to get breakfast, such as it 
was, before the night had really gone. He 
excused himself by saying that while he was 
not at all hungry, the operation had to be gone 
through with, and the sooner he was at it the 
quicker they might be free to mount upward. 

Frank knew what a terrific load was on his 
chum’s mind, and how he thrilled with sus- 
pense, now that they were so near the realiza- 
tion of his highest hopes or worst fears. 

And so he too set to work to remove the 
jaguar skin, for it would make a pretty decent 
rug, if it could be properly preserved. 

Morning was just breaking as they sat down 
to partake of the simple meal. Neither of 
them seemed to care for much. It was indeed 
no time for feasting, or making merry, when 
the day had probably dawned that was to settle 
their mission, one way or the other. 


192 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


^^One thing good,” remarked Andy, hope- 
fully, ^Hhere doesn’t seem to be any strong 
wind blowing this morning.” 

Frank had been studying the lay of the land 
in the glade. 

‘‘I tell you we’re going to have all we can 
do to squeeze up out of here without scraping 
against any tree before we can rise above 
them,” he observed, presently. 

^‘But don’t you think we can do it?” 
demanded his chum, anxiously watching his 
expressive face. 

‘‘I think it is possible,” came the slow reply; 
which after all gave Andy new cause for dis- 
trust ; since his cousin was so cautious a fellow 
that he seldom if ever gushed over anything ; 
at the same time he never expressed doubts 
when he felt positive. 

^‘But!” cried Andy, ‘‘there’s no other way 
to fly; we couldn’t take the aeroplane to 
another place; and I reckon there isn’t a 
cleared fleld within ten miles of here.” 

“No, it must be done right where we are. 
Now, I’m going to measure the opening to 
And out its widest dimensions. Then we will 
take the monoplane as far back as we can, and 
make all arrangements for a rapid start. But 
to rise above those trees, even the shortest of 
them, is going to call for considerable man- 


FIREBRANDS AND JAGUARS. 


19a 


agement, and some great good luck in the 
bargain.’’ 

‘‘But, Frank, you’ve done it before,” de- 
clared Andy. “You know you made lots of 
short starts that beat all the records. That’s 
your best hold. And, Frank, we’ve just got 
to get out of here. Everything depends on it.” 

“Sure,” responded Frank, cheerily enough; 
‘ ‘ and we ’ll manage somehow, never fear. Now 
to foot off the space. Count to yourself, and 
we’ll compare notes when I get to the other 
side. This looks the widest range, according 
to my eye.” 

I So they both started off, Frank placing one 
foot close in front of the other, and Andy 
keeping alongside in order to do his own 
counting. In this way they passed from one 
side of the glade to the other ; and Frank was 
secretly pleased to find that the distance 
was considerably more than he had judged 
possible. 

Besides, the trees happened to be much 
lower on this side, which fact would be of con- 
siderable benefit to them when they started 
ito make the run, and rise. 

Frank was still muttering the number of 
feet to himself, and had arrived within some- 
thing like five yards of the nearest trees, when, 
without the slightest warning, he heard Andy 


194 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


let out a screech that could have but one 
meaning. 

He had surely sighted something that 
spelled peril to one or both of the Bird boys. 
Frank had wisely kept the rifle in his hand, 
and instinct caused him to throw tliis up to 
his shoulder, though as yet he had not the 
slightest suspicion as to what the nature of the 
danger might be, nor the quarter in which it 
lay. 


ONCE MORE AFLOAT. 


195 


CHAPTER XX. 

THE AEEOPLANE BOYS ONCE MOEE AFLOAT. 

Frank! Oh! Frank!” 

More than a few times had it fallen to 
Frank Bird to drag his cousin and chum^ 
’Andy, back from some impending danger. 
Now the shoe seemed to be on the other foot. 

Even as he looked hastily up, startled by 
these sudden cries, Frank felt his arm seized 
in a frenzied clutch, and himself jerked back- 
ward. 

‘^What is it, Andy? Here, hold on, let my 
arm free, and tell me!” he exclaimed. 

‘‘Look there; and you were going to walk 
right up against it ! Oh ! Frank, what a horri- 
ble monster!” Andy replied, in trembling 
tones, as he strove to point toward something 
that he had seen just in the nick of time. 

“Whew! I should say you were right! 
Ain’t he a dandy, though? And if I saw him 
at all, I thought it was a great big vine hang- 
ing from that tree! Ugh! look at him stretch 
his mouth, would you ? Andy, thanks to your 
sharp eyes I’m here, instead of in his slimy 
folds. I guess he could crush an ox. They 


196 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


say nothing can stand the pressure, once they 
get a couple of folds around.” 

‘‘Is it a python?” gasped Andy, his horri- 
fied eyes glued on the spectacle of the slightly 
swaying ten feet of snake that hung from the 
limb of a great tree, in part as thick as 
Frank’s thigh. 

“About the same thing,” replied Frank. 
“Down here they call them anacondas, and in 
other parts of the world they’re boa con- 
strictors. I guess the whole bunch belongs to 
the same family of squeezers. But that fellow 
is in our way.” 

“Well, yes, if you’re still determined to run 
the aeroplane across lots toward this side of 
the opening,” Andy remarked, with a shud- 
der. “Why, perhaps that old chap might get 
gay, and grab hold, just when we expected to 
go sailing off. That would be a calamity, not 
only for him, but the Bird boys in the 
bargain.” 

“All right. Then he’s got to get his,” 
Frank observed. 

“What are you going to do?” demanded the 
other, nervously. 

“Take a crack at his head,” came the reply. 
“Once let a flat-nosed bullet from this little 
Marlin hard shooter smack him on the coco. 


ONCE MORE AFLOAT. 


197 


and there’ll be a funeral in the anaconda 
family.” 

‘^But for goodness’ sake make sure work of 
it, Prank. What if you just wounded the 
monster ? He’d come whirling along at us like 
a hurricane. And I’m sure he must be thirty 
feet long, if he’s a dozen. Look at the thick- 
ness of his neck, would you ? Be mighty care- 
ful, for his head’s swinging a bit, you notice. 
That was what made me get sight of him. 
Say, Prank!” 

‘‘Well, hurry up. He may take a notion to 
move off, and I’d lose my chance, Andy.” 

“How’d it do for me to get some fire, and 
shoo him away?” suggested his cousin. 

“Don’t know how it would work,” replied 
Prank, smiling a little, however, at the faith 
Andy seemed to have in a blazing brand, now 
that he could look back to his late experience 
with the jaguar. “Never heard that snakes 
were afraid of fire. And besides, there’s no 
need. Now keep quiet, and watch. You’ll 
see something worth while; but be ready to 
jump clear.” 

He had already dropped down on one knee. 
The Marlin stock rested against his cheek, and 
his eyes sighted along the barrel. Andy fairly 
held his breath, his startled eyes glued on that 
swaying head of the monster. 


198 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


Then came the sharp report as Frank pulled 
the trigger. He instantly jumped back, and 
by a rapid motion of his hand sent another 
cartridge into the chamber, the clever mecha- 
nism of the gun proving that it was built so 
as never to fail in an emergency. 

Andy had accompanied his chum in that 
backward movement ; but never for an instant 
did he remove his eyes from the strange spec- 
tacle that was taking place there in front of 
them both. 

Undoubtedly the well aimed bullet had 
crashed through the fearful head of the sus- 
pended anaconda. Instantly it released its 
many coils above, and a tremendous length of 
writhing snake could be seen whipping over 
the ground. Nothing in the way of small veg- 
etation could stand in the path of those power- 
ful springy coils, as they shot this way and 
that. 

^‘Oh! my!’’ gasped the astounded Andy, as 
he moved farther back, so as to avoid any 
chance contact with the flying destructive 
force that was leveling everything in the glade 
for twenty feet around. ‘^Did you ever see 
anything to equal that? Talk to me about 
your harvesting machines, here’s one that’s 
got ’em all beat to a frazzle. Ain’t he ever 
going to give up the ghost, Frank? Guess 


ONCE MORE AFLOAT. 


199 


these anacondas must have the nine lives of 
a cat!’’ 

^^Well,” remarked Frank, ‘^you must have 
forgotten that among boys it’s said that a 
snake won’t die till sundown. I’ve seen one’s 
tail wiggle hours after we thought the thing 
was stone dead. There, he’s moving off into 
the forest, and a good riddance. While I’d 
like to measure the serpent just from curi- 
osity, we’ve got no time to waste waiting for 
him to kick the bucket.” 

‘^That’s right,” assented Andy. ^^And as 
for going anywhere near such a whirlwind, 
you’d have to excuse me.” 

They watched the dying anaconda gradually 
vanish in the depth of the forest; and both 
boys were glad that it had turned out that 
way, since they were anxious to depart from 
the place. 

‘‘Don’t I wish I’d had my little camera 
along, so I could have snapped a shot at that 
dandy chap! The fellows would believe me 
then, when I told about what happened to us 
here. And anyway, Frank, I don’t think we’ll 
forget this camp, do you?” 

“Well, hardly,” replied his chum, smiling 
broadly. “Because we’ve sure had enough 
happen to us here to make us remember. But 


200 


THE BIED BOYS. 


I’m glad to find there’s going to be more space 
for the run than I thought at first.” 

We ’ll need every inch of it,” declared 
Andy, as he looked dubiously at the tops of the 
lower trees about the place where the snake 
had held forth. Don’t I wish we’d brought 
a few sticks of dynamite along, though.” 

^^For goodness’ sake, what would we want 
with dynamite ? Think you could have blown 
up that snake, do you?” asked Franks as they 
started to cross the glade toward the waiting 
monoplane. 

‘‘Oh! shucks, no. I was thinking how we 
could plant ’em under a bunch of those trees 
and enlarge the gap!” declared Andy. 

At that Frank burst out into a hearty laugh. 

“What a fellow you are for wild notions. 
Think of us blowing up the forest to make an 
aviation field ! I reckon, however, seeing that 
you haven’t got the dynamite, Andy, we’ll 
have to do the best we can. Take hold here 
and we’ll push the machine just as far back as 
it will go. Perhaps we can gain a few yards 
at this end that will count in the long run.” 

Frank was particularly careful about every 
little detail. He knew just what he had to de- 
pend on. In the past he had made it a pet 
hobby to rise in as short a space as possible ; 


ONCE MORE AFLOAT. 


201 


and now this faculty seemed destined to prove 
a valuable asset in their speedy climbing up. 

‘^All ready?” he asked, grimly. 

Andy took one last look at the face of his 
chum. He saw that Frank’s mouth was com- 
pressed in that firm way that stood for so 
much; and somehow Andy’s wavering confi- 
dence returned in full measure. When Frank 
Bird looked like that, things always had gone 
according to his will ; and they must now ! 

‘ ‘ Yes, I ’m fit, Frank, ’ ’ he said, quietly. ^ ‘ Let 
her go when you’re ready!” 

In the many times that the two boys had 
made ascents, Andy could never remember 
that his pulses throbbed with one-half the sus- 
pense they did now. Not even on that never to 
be forgotten initial performance, when for the 
first time they felt the strange sensation of 
leaving the solid ground in a flying machine, 
had he been so excited, so nervous, so filled with 
alternate hope and fear. 

Frank had taken every possible precaution. 
He had thoroughly studied the ground, and 
made sure that no obstacle would be apt to 
cause the running gear of the aeroplane to 
swerve, and thus throw them off their course. 

All he could do was to start the machinery, 
get a rise at the quickest possible second, and 
be ready to shut off power if he realized that 


202 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


the feat they were about to attempt were im- 
possible, so as to avoid smashing the planes 
against a tree. 

^‘Then here goes!” he said, calmly. 

Andy held his breath as he heard the engine 
start off at a tremendous speed. He felt as 
though a giant hand had plucked them from 
the spot where the aeroplane had been planted 
for the start. Across the glade they went 
speeding. His heart almost jumped into his 
mouth he believed, as he felt the little craft 
start to leave the ground, as Frank manipu- 
lated the planes, and elevated them so as to 
catch the air under the broad blades. 

They were rising rapidly now I Would they 
manage to clear those terrible treetops that 
stood like a grim barrier in their path? 

Higher yet did Prank throw the planes, so 
that they actually seemed to be climbing 
straight upward, according to the vivid imag- 
ination of Andy; who, clutching the upright 
at his side, waited for what was going to hap- 
pen. 

It was too late now to retreat! They had 
gone too far to stop, and try again! No mat- 
ter whether for good or ill, their kite had been 
tossed to the winds of heaven, and they must 
abide by the consequences. 

Andy gave one little squeal, for it could not 


ONCE MORE AFLOAT. 


203 


be termed anything else under the sun. This 
was when they shot past the most prominent 
branch of the tree that happened to stand di- 
rectly in the way of the rising aeroplane. 
Andy believed that the wheels below must have 
actually brushed through the foliage, for he 
always declared that he heard a fierce ‘ ‘ swish 
as they passed. 

Had they caught even one little bit, some- 
thing dreadful might have happened, and the 
precious aeroplane, on which everything de- 
pended, meet its sad fate ; not to speak of the 
nasty fall the Bird boys would have suffered. 

But Fortune was once more kind to the 
young adventurers. They passed safely 
through the peril, and were speedily fully 
launched upon the wide open expanse of space ! 

^‘Hurrah!’’ shouted the exultant Andy; but 
it might be noticed that his voice was a bit 
husky, even as his face seemed chalky white. 

‘‘A close shave, remarked Frank; who hun- 
self had been rigid while they were thus taking 
such desperate chances; ‘‘but we made it, 
thank goodness! I hope that will be a lucky 
token of what the day has in store for us.” 

“Amen!” echoed his chum; and there was 
no levity in his tones, either. 

The sun was just rising. Below them lay 
the dense foliage of the almost impenetrable 


204 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


forests, from which they had just made this 
almost miraculous escape. And both young 
aviators, as if by common consent, started to 
sweep the horizon around with their eyes. 

‘‘See anything of it?” asked Andy, eagerly. 

“I thought I did away over yonder toward 
the mountains; but I guess it must be a big 
bird hovering high up, a condor perhaps,” 
Frank replied. 

“Well, there isn’t any sign of the biplane, 
that’s sure,” Andy went on in a relieved voice. 
“Perhaps they didn’t have as good luck in 
landing as we did, and had a nasty spill. Don’t 
I hope they busted some of the planes, or part 
of the little old Gnome engine, so we won’t 
have to be bothered with ’em again?” 

Frank made no remark. While as a rule he 
refused to let anything like bitterness dwell in 
his heart, still, this was a case where every- 
thing was at stake ; and if the bothersome revo- 
lutionists kept chasing them in the biplane 
they were apt to give a great deal of trouble. 
And secretly he could echo Andy’s wish that 
the biplane might be temporarily crippled, so 
as to be unfit for fijdng. 

“Now, what’s the programme?” asked 
Andy, when they had covered several miles. 

“We’ve just got to head for the mountains 
yonder,” replied his chum. “You know, he 


ONCE MORE AFLOAT. 


205 


declared it was a valley that lay among the 
mountains ; and it must be, to be surrounded 
by high cliffs. Once we get among the hills, 
we’ll sail back and forth, combing the whole 
region, and hoping sooner or later to discover 
his queer prison.” 

Andy lapsed into a state of silence; but he 
kept watching ahead as they drew gradually 
nearer the uplifts. Doubtless but one thought 
held dominion in his mind, and this was that 
somewhere amidst those same mountains the 
father whom he loved so dearly was waiting, 
and hoping for an answer to his appeals 
for aid. 


206 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


CHAPTER XXI. 

THE LAST LITTLE HOT AIE BALLOON. 

‘‘Did you ever see a wilder region?” asked 
Frank, about the middle of the morning, when 
they had alighted on a broad, level plateau, so 
as to allow him to look over some little matters 
connected with the engine, that he believed 
needed attention. 

Andy had been using the binoculars pretty 
much all the time they were aloft, but without 
any success. Many times be began to think he 
had sighted something that looked like cliffs 
rising up, and a wild hope had seized upon his 
devoted heart; but upon Frank bringing the 
airship in that quarter, in answer to his frantic 
appeals, it had proven to be a false clue. 

Cliffs they saw in plenty, but as yet none en- 
closing a valley so as to imprison an unfortu- 
nate aeronaut, whose runaway balloon had 
dropped with him into its depths. 

Still, the day was not nearly half over. And 
the monoplane behaved splendidly; so that 
they could hope to continue the search as long 
as their supply of gasolene held out. 

“I’ll never give up hunting,” Andy de- 
clared, as he stood there, watching his chum 


THE LAST HOT AIR BALLOON. 


207 


potter with the engine and examine things in 
general. ‘‘No, not as long as this fine little 
machine stands by us. We can get more gaso- 
lene if necessary, for we brought a good sup- 
ply aboard the boat. When weVe gone as far 
as we dare down this way we’ll make another 
start further on.” 

“I’m with you. Chum Andy, and you don’t 
need to be told that,” observed Frank, quietly^ 
while he worked on. 

“As if I didn’t know that and counted on 
you through thick and thin,” declared the 
other, with a look of sincere affection. 

“Well, now we’re ready to go up again,” 
remarked Frank; “and there’s no use asking 
if you feel like it. So pile in and we’ll make 
a flying start from the top of this rocky 
plateau.” 

“What a difference from our last start,”* 
observed Andy, with satisfaction, for they 
were on an elevation with a valley far below, 
and the air was decidedly bracing for the 
tropics. 

‘ ‘ I should say it was, ’ ’ laughed Frank. ‘ ‘ Do 
you know what it puts me in mind of ?” 

“I bet you’re just thinking of when we won 
that race to the summit of Old Thunder Top, 
where nobody had ever been able to climb be- 
fore, and how we had to make our start for 


208 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


home from that little plateau, plunging off into 
space.” 

‘‘Just what I was,” declared Frank. “But 
here we have a longer swing and it’s going 
to be a snap of a launch compared with some 
we remember.” 

“Ugh!” grunted Andy, “will I ever forget 
the one this morning. But let loose, my boy. 
I had just sighted a likely looking place away 
over yonder, at the time you said we ought to 
take advantage of this fine landing stage, to 
look things over. Just head her that way 
when we get going, will you?” 

“Sure; an3rthing to oblige,” assented the 
other. 

The launch was just as easy as they had 
anticipated. Indeed, Frank seemed to have 
gotten this part of the programme down to a 
fine point and could accomplish it apparently 
as well as a Wright or a Curtiss. 

Ten minutes later and the monoplane was 
soaring toward the region which Andy had 
defiominated as a “likely spot.” 

“Look at that big bird watching us from 
that pinnacle yonder!” exclaimed Andy, as he 
lowered the glasses for a moment. 

“I see him,” replied his comrade. “And 
there’s no doubt now but what that is a condor 
of the Andes. He thinks we must be some sort 


THE LAST HOT AIR BALLOON. 


209 


of bird, which we are, of course, and is won- 
dering whether he ought to flap his wings and 
go up higher or hide behind that church steeple 
of rock.’’ 

‘‘I only hope he don’t take a measly notion 
to fight us, that’s all,” remarked the other, as 
he glanced anxiously toward where the Marlin 
was secured to the framework of the airship. 

‘ ‘ No danger of that, ’ ’ Frank continued. ‘ ‘ A 
condor is like our vulture or buzzard, a scav- 
enger; and he lacks the bravery of the bald- 
headed eagle that attacked us when we came 
near his nest on the tip of Old Thunder Top. 
Look there, he’s off, Andy, and at a good lively 
clip, too. Good-bye, old chap, and good luck !” 

Andy had lost all interest in the great bird 
of the western Andes. He was focusing his 
attention upon the place that he had marked 
as a likely spot. 

‘‘Frank,” he said, presently, in a husky 
voice, “could you drop a little lower and slow 
down some?” 

“That’s easy,” replied his chum, readily 
enough. “What has struck you now, Andy?” 

“It looks more and more promising to me,” 
came the slow reply, as Andy kept the glasses 
up to his eyes. 

“Then you can glimpse something like 
cliffs ?” asked Frank. 


210 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


‘^Yes, and there’s no doubt about that part. 
I’m waiting now to see if the wide valley is 
wholly enclosed ! ’ ’ 

‘‘And if it is, you think ” 

“It must be the place! Oh, Frank! What 
if we are near the spot? Would he still be 
alive, or has he given up the fight ? That con- 
dor perched up on the pinnacle — ^was he only 
waiting for the time to come when he could 
fly down ? Perhaps — oh ! what is that moving 
yonder? Look, Prank, Frank, something is 
coming up above the top of the mountain ! Can 
you see it? If you could only take the glasses 
and tell me, for my hands are shaking so I 
can’t hold them!” 

“Brace up, Andy. I can see what you mean 
without the glasses. There, now it has risen 
above the line of rocks — something that bobs 
to and fro like no bird ever flew — something 
that floats, now this way and now that, just 
as the wind blows. Andy, upon my word I 

believe it is, it must be ” 

“Oh, say it for me, please, because I just 
can’t find words !” cried the other. 

It was a wonder that in their tremendous 
excitement something disastrous did not hap- 
pen to the aeroplane, but Frank had wisely 
cut off some of the power, so that they were 
just making fair headway at the time. 


THE LAST HOT AIR BALLOON. 


211 


‘‘It is a little parachute balloon, just like 
the one that carried that message into the cocoa 
grove of Carlos Mendoza!” ejaculated Frank, 

“Then it means that we have found the val- 
ley prison !” gasped Andy. 

“Sure, that’s a fact. The cliffs yonder are 
on one side of it!” Frank cried. 

“And Frank, don’t you see, the fact that 
another of those little messengers of hope has 
just come up out of the valley shows that he 
is alive!^’ 

“You just bet he is, Andy; and we’re go- 
ing to be with him in three shakes of a lamb’s 
tail!” declared the other. 

Andy could not utter another word; he was 
too full of emotion. So he just sat there and 
stared and waited, his heart doubtless thump- 
ing against his ribs as it had never done 
before.* 

Of course, when Frank gave utterance to 
that boast he did not really mean it, and only 
had the encouragement of his chum in view. 
He knew that it was apt to prove a difficult 
task, landing in that enclosed valley, where 
the vegetation must be of a tropical order. 

First of all they must circle around over 
the wide expanse to take in its features and 
discover the prisoner. Then Frank could lay 
his plans accordingly. 


212 


THE BIED BOYS. 


Gradually they began to see more and more 
of those marvelous cliffs. They seemed to 
stretch in an unbroken cordon completely 
around the valley. If they were as near like 
adamant as they looked it would take a man 
years to cut steps to the lofty top, even though 
he were given proper tools for the work. 

And presently they cleared the near side, 
so that the monoplane floated directly above 
the valley itself. 

‘^Careful now, Andy!” warned the cautious 
Frank. ^‘Hold yourself tight while we circle 
around, dropping lower all the time. Suppose 
you shout, though I should think he’d have 
heard the noise of our exhaust before now!” 

He had hardly uttered these last words when 
there came a cry from below. 

‘‘Look, look, Frank, there he is! Oh, what 
a blessed sight that is! My father, and alive 
after all! See how he runs and waves his 
hands ! What will he say when he knows that 
it’s his boy in this airship come to save him?” 

“Call out and tell him!” said Frank, hardly 
able to control his own feelings, though he 
Imew he must or they might meet with an 
accident in this supreme moment of victory. 

So Andy did shout, calling upon his father 
wildly and waving his cap to him. The pris- 
oner of the enclosed valley seemed dazed at 


THE LAST HOT AIR BALLOON. 


213 


first. Perhaps he had been deceived so many 
times by his dreams of being saved that he 
feared this might prove only another delusion. 
They could see him stand there and put his 
hand to his head as he stared. It was so very 
wonderful, this coming of a modern aeroplane 
to snatch him from his living grave. And then 
that voice, how like the one he had never ex- 
pected to hear again! 

But by degrees, as the little Bleriot mono- 
plane sank lower, and the forms could be more 
plainly seen, he began to grasp the truth. 
Again he showed the most intense excitement, 
waving his arms and running to keep up with 
them. 

^‘Wait,’’ said Frank, presently, as he saw 
that Andy was so excited he could not carry 
on an intelligent conversation. ‘‘I’m going 
to speak with him and find out if there’s any 
clear spot where we can land.” 

“Uncle Philip !” he shouted presently, when 
Andy had subsided. “This is Frank, your 
nephew, and Andy, your own son. Is there 
any clear place where we can land?” 

The aeronaut understood, because all this 
was right in line with the profession which 
he had been following at the time of his van- 
ishing from mortal sight. 

He indicated the quarter where a landing 


214 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


might be risked and upon investigating by 
hovering over the same, Frank decided that it 
promised success. 

So the aeroplane dropped down and touched 
ground. It bumped along for a little distance 
and then Andy, leaping out, managed to bring 
its progress to a halt. They were in the en- 
chanted valley, from whence those wonderful 
messages had floated, one of which, by a 
strange freak of fate, had eventually reached 
the boy thousands of miles away, for whose 
eyes it had been intended ! 

And immediately Andy was clasped in the 
arms of his father. He knew him despite the 
long gray beard, which had grown during his 
many months of conflnement, with hope daily 
choked by despair. His clothing was almost 
in tatters, and he seemed thin and peaked ; but 
the look upon his drawn face now was of su- 
preme happiness. 

Then, after they had in some measure re- 
covered from all this intense excitement, the 
boys sat down to tell what a miracle had been 
wrought, bringing the message to the home in 
far away Bloomsbury. With an arm still en- 
circling the form of his boy Professor Bird 
listened and asked many eager questions. 

‘‘And to think,” he said. Anally, “that little 
messenger you saw going up just now was con- 


THE LAST HOT AIR BALLOON. 


215 


structed of the very last fragment of the old 
balloon silk. I made a fire with flint and steel, 
filled it with hot air and sent it up with pray- 
ers, believing that it was my forlorn chance. 
And then I heard the exhaust of your motor. 
I feared my mind was giving way under the 
terrible strain. When I looked up and saw 
an aeroplane sail into view I fell down on my 
face, believing I had gone mad. But it was a 
blessed reality, thank Grod!’’ 

Plans were soon under discussion looking to 
leaving the valley as soon as possible. About 
this time Andy happened to think of some- 
thing and began to fumble at his pocket. 

^ ‘ Oh, how I hoped and prayed when I bought 
that, father, that I might have the happiness 
of seeing you smoke some of it,” he said, as 
he drew out a little packet of tobacco, on which 
the late prisoner pounced with all the delight 
of an inveterate user of the weed, who had long 
been deprived of a pleasure. 

have been using dried leaves of a wild 
grape and some other things,” he admitted; 
^‘but after all they were only vile substitutes. 
It was thoughtful of you, my boy, to remember 
my weakness.” 

And Andy snuggled up close to him as he 
commenced to puff at his pipe, using a match 
for the first time in many moons and smiling 


216 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


whimsically when he struck the same, as mem- 
ory played queer pranks within. 

Meanwhile Frank wandered around to sur- 
vey the scene of the professor’s imprisonment 
and figure how they were ever going to get 
out with the aeroplane. 


RESCUED. 


217 


CHAPTER XXII. 

BESCUED. 

‘‘What’s the hurry?” asked Andy, when 
once they began to talk over their plans for 
leaving the valley. 

For once Frank agreed with his chum. They 
had plenty to eat along with them and it might 
be just as well to wait for another day. By 
that time all of them, would have recovered 
to a great extent from the excitement that had 
told upon them, particularly the professor, 
none too strong. 

So it was finally concluded to stay right 
where they were until another morning, when 
one at a time Frank would endeavor to con- 
vey them out of the valley, not daring to risk 
two passengers at once with such a poor field 
for the start. 

The time passed quickly enough, for there 
were a thousand things to tell on both sides. 
The aeronaut described his accident and re- 
lated how he had lived through all the dreary 
months that had gone. Fortunately there did 
not happen to be any fierce wild beasts in the 
cliff bordered valley, and while he had had 


218 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


adventures with venomous serpents, fortune 
had stood by him. 

He showed numerous little contrivances by 
means of which he had secured game enough 
to supply his needs. There were nuts in abun- 
dance and some wild fruits which, as a scholar, 
he knew the value of. 

Water could be had in plenty, as a lovely 
stream flowed through the valley, diving down 
at one end and vanishing in the rocks, to find 
an outlet such as the human prisoner prayed 
for daily in vain. 

Why, it was evening almost before Andy 
realized it, so quickly had the hours sped along. 
How proudly had his father asked all about 
the monoplane, which he examined with the 
most intense interest, knowing it to have been 
mostly made by the two enterprising Bird 
boys. 

From the way in which he smiled and nod- 
ded his head after this survey it was evident 
that he was very well pleased with what they 
had done. And he also made them tell all 
about that famous race through the air to the 
hitherto unsealed crown of Old Thunder Top, 
which he remembered very well. 

‘‘And now, let’s think of having a jolly little 
meal,” said Frank, as the shadows began to 
lengthen down below the lofty cliffs, which 


RESCUED. 


219 


was a pretty good indication that night could 
not be far away. 

‘‘Count me in,” said Andy, jumping up, for 
it was his duty to get busy when the time came 
to make a fire and prepare a repast. “I guess 
weVe got coffee for a few times yet, and I 
smuggled a can of Boston baked beans along 
when Frank wasn’t looking, knowing that fa- 
ther used to be right fond of ’em.” 

‘ ‘ Coffee ! Beans ! Why, you fairly take my 
breath away!” exclaimed the one who for so 
many months had been deprived of all the 
comforts of civilization and forced to sustain 
his life in the most primitive manner. 

When supper was cooking the professor 
made some excuse to wander off. Frank knew, 
though, what ailed him. 

“It’s the aroma of that blessed coffee, that’s 
what,” he said to Andy, who had looked a 
little troubled at this action on the part of 
his father. “It’s been so long since he’s 
smelled it that it just makes him wild. I know, 
because I had a little experience that way my- 
self once, only it was two weeks I had to go 
without when we were camping and not many 
months. When supper ’s ready he ’ll come with 
a rush, mark me, Andy.” 

And he proved to be a true prophet, for 
no sooner had Andy lifted up his voice to call 


220 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


that the meal was ready than the professor 
broke through the bushes and hastened to take 
his place. 

Frank lost not a second in filling a tin cup 
of the amber liquid and handing it to the late 
prisoner of the valley. 

He tasted and then nodded his head. 

‘‘Nectar for the gods, my boys !” he declared. 
“One never knows how little things like this 
go to make up a portion of one’s life until a 
cruel fate has deprived him of them all. And 
to think I have a boy so thoughtful as to fetch 
along a packet of smoking tobacco and a can 
of the real Boston baked beans. Thank you, 
Frank, that’s a heaping pannikin you’ve given 
me, but I suspect I’m equal to the job.” ^ 

They made a happy trio as they ate and 
chatted and laughed. Perhaps that was the 
first hearty laugh Professor Bird had given 
utterance to since the day he started in his 
ill-fated balloon from Colon on the Caribbean 
coast to cross the Isthmus of Panama. 

Before they went to sleep that night all prep« 
arations had been concluded looking to getting 
out of the trap in the morning. Frank had 
made his estimations and knew to a nicety 
just what his engine could do. Once free from 
the valley he believed they could head direct 
for the distant Magdalena, carrying two pas- 


RESCUED. 


221 


sengers and making short flights. It was true 
that as yet he had never taken up any second 
passenger and it entailed an additional tax 
upon the motor, but he had great faith in the 
little Kinkaid engine and felt that it would 
respond nobly to any additional demand made 
upon it. 

But it would be advisable that he carry the 
professor out of the valley and land him on 
that plateau where they had made their last 
halt, ere going back for Andy. Then, from 
that elevated place they could start on the 
return trip, with everything favorable for a 
successful flight. 

The night passed at length, though it must 
have seemed interminable to Andy. Frank 
knew that often his chum would rise up on 
his elbow and put out a hand gently, just to 
touch the form of his sleeping father close to 
him. And Frank did not wonder at it, for 
there were times when even he found it diffi- 
cult to realize that their remarkable mission 
had actually proven successful. 

At length the day came. 

They were early astir, for much remained 
to be done. And there would needs be deft 
manipulation of the gallant little monoplane 
by its clever pilot, if two separate flights out 
of the enclosed valley were to be undertaken. 


222 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


Finally all was ready. 

The professor had really next to nothing he 
wished to bring away. The valley had grown 
hateful to him because of his enforced stay 
and he never wanted to see it again. 

He took his place in the seat usually occu- 
pied by Andy. His face was grave, for he 
knew what risks they were running. But 
surely the lad who had piloted the frail craft 
(through so many perils would not fail now ! 

‘‘Good-bye, both of you!” said Andy, beam- 
ing upon them, as he prepared to assist in 
the launching. “Please don’t forget me down 
here and let me root, hog, or die for months. 
Birds of a feather flock together, you know, so 
come back again. Prank.” 

Then came the start. It was anything but 
an easy job to get going in the small space 
allowed by the character of the valley, but 
Frank had figured it all out, measured the* 
ground, removed such obstructions as prom-^ 
ised to give trouble and had perfect confidence 
in his ability to make it. 

And he did. 

After that other ascent in the heart of the 
tropical forest he declared he did not mean 
to let anything appal him henceforth. 

Once they started circling the valley, low 
down and just missing the tops of the trees 


RESCUED. 


223 


growing there, Andy^ sent vigorous whoops 
after them, and his father answered by wav- 
ing his hand, for hat he had none. 

So, guided by the master hand of Frank 
Bird, the aeroplane rose above the line of those 
hateful and cruel cliffs and for the first time 
since his captivity the man of science saw the 
blessed outside world again. 

There was no trouble landing him on the 
accommodating plateau, after which the aero- 
plane started back for its second passenger. 

Frank abated his vigilance not a particle. 
He knew that constant watchfulness must be 
the price of safety when one is venturing to 
imitate the birds and soar through the upper 
currents of the air. 

Down into the valley he dropped, the mono- 
plane behaving beautifully. And presently he 
was shaking the hand of his chum again. 

Once more was a start made. Frank 
breathed easier after it had proven a success, 
for there were narrow escapes from a colli- 
sion with some obstacle, and he knew only too 
well what that stood for. 

^^Now we’re all right, I guess!” sang out 
Andy, as they came out of the depths and 
Frank turned the airship in the direction of 
the distant plateau. 

Naturally Andy was as happy as a lark, 


224 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


singing and calling as they glided along, and 
finding scores of causes for attracting the at- 
tention of his chum. Finally Frank had to 
caution him to slow down and not try to make 
him look so much. 

The trip was made in perfect safety. In- 
deed, Andy was now so confident of the ca- 
pacity of the monoplane, as well as the skill 
of its pilot, that he expressed himself as ready 
to go anywhere in such a craft with such a 
driver. 

It required some planning to arrange mat- 
ters so that both Andy and his father could 
be carried at the same time; but Frank had 
been figuring on this and fixed it in his mind. 

Even after the start he felt more appre- 
hensive than he allowed the others to see, for 
this was after all an experiment. Aviators 
have gone up with two passengers and in mon- 
oplanes, too, but the limit of their stay aloft 
had never exceeded two hours, for the strain 
is very great. 

So Frank hoped to find places where they 
might drop down to rest, thus making the jour- 
ney in easy stages. 

He believed they had plenty of gasoline to 
see them through, for an additional supply 
had been carried when starting from the 
neighborhood of the boat. 


RESCUED. 


225 


But once they; were afloat he realized that 
he had been borrowing needless trouble, for 
the gallant little aircraft just acted beautifully 
and seemed to be able to speed merrily along 
with two passengers almost as well as with 
but one. 

Of course there were many chances for 
trouble. There always are when traveling in 
an aeroplane, since the least thing that goes 
wrong means a descent or a fall. 

Frank tried no lofty flight. He kept close 
above the tree tops, content to make steady 
progress in the direction where his little com- 
pass told him they would find the river. 

Once away from the mountainous country 
and they were able to descend to still lower 
levels, where the chilly air changed to hot, and 
there were signs of life among the trees be- 
low — ^birds, monkeys and other natives of the 
wilds showing themselves at times. 

It must have been a glorious sensation to 
the old aeronaut to be thus speeding along in 
a modem, up-to-date airship, after his en- 
forced idleness for so long. Again and again 
did he express himself in that way, as he gazed 
over the expanse of country, and then allowed 
his eyes to rest fondly on the form of his boy, 
more dear to his heart than ever after what 
had happened. 


226 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


‘‘I think I see an open place beyond,’’ re- 
marked Frank, after they had been moving 
something like two hours after leaving the 
high plateau. ‘‘And it might be wise while 
we have the chance to go dovm and look things 
over. Then we will feel fit for another spell 
of work.” 

Accordingly the aeroplane was headed 
downward. They circled the opening once or 
twice in order that the pilot of the aircraft 
might get his bearings perfectly, and then he 
headed for the ground. 

Even as they were just approaching the 
earth Frank heard Andy give one of his cus- 
tomary exclamations, such as announced an 
important discovery. 

‘ ‘ Frank, there ’s the biplane in the opening ! ’ ’ 
was what he cried. 

Yes, Frank himself had sighted it now, but 
the discovery came too late to have any effect 
upon their movements, since they were bound 
to land, not having room to rise again, even 
did they wish to do so. 

And Frank, as he felt the wheels under the 
aeroplane touch the earth, also heard a loud 
cry and some lusty Spanish expletives as a 
pistol was discharged. 


HOMEWARD BOUND. 


227 


CHAPTER XXm. 

HOMEWAED BOUND— CONCLUSION. 

lAs was his usual habit, Andy jumped before 
the monoplane had stopped. Frank on his 
part had no sooner seen that everything was 
going well than he snatched the Marlin rifle 
from its fastenings. He realized that they 
were up against trouble of some sort, for those 
Spanish exclamations told him there must be 
one revolutionist at least close by ready to do 
battle. 

Frank, look out, he’s got a pistol!” cried 
a voice, which he recognized as belonging to 
Puss Carberry. 

Just then he caught sight of a figure rush- 
ing forward. It was the same man no doubt 
whom they had seen with Puss in the biplane. 
They had evidently broken some important 
parts in landing and ever since must have been 
busy trying to mend the same. 

‘‘Stop!” 

When the advancing revolutionist heard 
this sharp command and saw that he was be- 
ing covered by a rifle in the hands of the deter- 
mined looking pilot of the monoplane, he sized 


228 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


up the situation and then raised his hands in 
a way that meant he surrendered. 

‘‘Drop that gun then!” ordered Frank, and 
as he did so Puss seized upon it with a snarl 
of joy. 

“Now we’ll see how two can play at that 
game, you skunk!” gritted the other, as he 
snapped the pistol straight at the head of the 
man. 

“Here, none of that. Puss. You leave him 
to us. He’s our prisoner, not yours !” ordered 
Frank, horrified at the rage which the other 
had shown. 

So Puss found that he did not have any 
authority in the matter, and that if he wanted 
to get assistance from his old-time rivals in 
order to finish mending his airship and get 
away from so dangerous a locality he must do 
what they said. 

He told about how he and Sandy had been 
out for a trial spin two days before. That 
was when Frank and his chum had sighted 
them from the river. But that very night 
some of the revolutionists had made a descent 
on the home of his uncle, who had a cocoa 
plantation not many miles away from that of 
Mendoza, seized him and carried him away, 
as they also did the little airship. 

Threatened with dire things if he refused 


HOMEWARD BOUND. 


229 


to obey, be bad been compelled to go up in 
company with tbe man wbo was now tbeir 
prisoner, a Spaniard, wbo bad once sailed in a 
balloon and knew something about that type 
of aviation, tbougb having much to learn in 
connection with modern aeroplanes. 

Sighting our two Bird boys, of course Puss 
bad known wbo they were. But the man was 
positive that they must be spies sent out by 
the government to learn what the revolution- 
ists might be doing up the Magdalena. And 
he had threatened all sorts of things, Puss 
declared, unless a hot pursuit were carried on. 
Secretly Frank was of the opinion that it 
would require very little urging to make Puss 
Carberry do his level best to overtake any 
aerial craft piloted by one Frank Bird, toward 
whom he had always felt the most bitter ani- 
mosity. 

After about an hour’s hard work Frank 
managed to get the biplane in decent trim for 
a flight. He was also able to spare the other 
some gasoline. 

Had he been allowed to have his own way 
Puss would have left the Spaniard in the for- 
est, where he might have died, being unable 
to make his way to civilization. But Frank 
would not hear of it. He obtained a solemn 
promise from the man that he would not make 


230 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


any further effort to obtain control of the 
biplane, and then Puss was made to take him 
aboard. Of course, Frank had made sure that 
the man carried no weapon and that his re- 
volver was thrown away. 

They left the glade in the forest soon after 
the biplane had started. Puss managed to 
keep close to the others while they headed off 
toward the northeast. He did not wholly trust 
the passenger he was carrying and wanted to 
remain within call of the three who relied 
upon the monoplane to carry them to safety. 

They could even shout out to each other as 
they sailed along. Thus Puss warned them 
when they were approaching a camp of the 
revolutionists as they drew near the region of 
the river, and they were able to change their 
course, not wishing to again rim the perilous 
gantlet of gun-fire. 

When another descent was deemed neces- 
sary it was close to the Magdalena, though 
many miles south of the town where the cocoa 
planters lived. 

There was no reason why Puss should also 
descend, save that he wished to be rid of his 
unwelcome passenger. The revolutionist 
might now make his way to camp and electrify 
his fellows with a stirring account of his vari- 
ous adventures. And one could easily guess 


HOMEWARD BOUND. 


231 


that they would lose none of their zest in the 
telling. 

Puss did not expect to halt again when the 
monoplane was brought down. He could make 
one flight of it now and reach the home of his 
uncle, where doubtless Sandy was mourning 
him as lost. 

Just as Prank had expected, Puss on saying 
good-bye tried to appear as though something 
along the order of gratitude might be striving 
to gain a foothold in his crooked nature. 

‘‘Say, Prank, I^m sorry now I ever tried to 
do you dirt,’^ he observed, as he held out his 
hand. ‘ ‘ Let ’s forget the past and start all over 
again.’’ 

“Sure,” replied Prank, as he readily took 
the offered hand; but it lay like a cold toad 
in his grasp, as Andy afterward expressed it, 
for Puss insisted on also bidding him good-bye 
ere he made a start in his biplane. 

“Well, now, what d’ye think of that?” said 
Andy, as they stood and watched the other 
mount upward and caught the wave of his 
hand ere he started down river, being fully 
five hundred feet high. “Did he mean it. 
Prank? Would you really want to go so far 
as to trust that snake if the chance ever came 
again for him to do you a bad turn?” 

Prank shrugged his shoulders. 


232 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


‘‘Say, ask me something easy, won’t you?” 
he remarked. “Because you know how hard 
it is for a leopard to change its spots. Per- 
haps Puss has seen a light; but excuse me if 
I doubt it. Naturally he felt kind of cheap, 
because we got him out of a bad hole and 
placed him under obligations. But that will 
wear off in a short time.” 

“Eight it will,” declared !Andy. “I give 
you my word, Frank, that the next time we 
see him he’ll have a fine story all fixed about 
how he was just going to jump on that Span- 
ish revolutionary fellow, and twisting his gun 
out of his hand, shoot him down, and then fiy 
away. Oh, don’t I know Puss in Boots, 
though? He’ll hate us both worse than ever 
just because he’s beholden to us. Rats! him 
reform ? Not much ! ’ ’ 

By the middle of the afternoon they had 
advanced far enough to know that another lap 
ought to carry them to town, and of course 
all of them were anxious to have the journey 
completed. 

“If it could only be written up and sworn 
to,” said Andy, enthusiastically, “I reckon it’d 
go down in the annals of aeroplaning as the 
most wonderful stunt carried out up to date. 
But people won’t take our word for it.” 

“We’ve got the evidence of it, though, in 


HOMEWARD BOUND. 


233 


the person of your good dad, and people may 
believe what Professor Bird says over his own 
honored signature, however much they might 
doubt the yarn of a couple of boys,” Frank 
remarked, as he took a last look, to see that 
both his passengers were snugly settled, ere 
starting the motor. 

‘‘We’re on the home stretch now!” declared 
Andy, after they had again mounted up into 
the realm of space and found their course 
northward. 

“Yes,” observed Frank, “we’re homing pig- 
eons now, if any kind of bird.” 

“At any rate,” laughed the professor, 
“we’re birds of passage, and one of them is 
mighty glad of the opportunity to get back 
into the old world again.” 

In due time they sighted the town, and as 
before, the greatest excitement followed as 
they headed across the place, looking to land 
where the journey had begun — in the yard of 
the cocoa planter’s place. 

Of course Senor Carlos was delighted with 
the success of the mission. For two days the 
Bird boys were the center of an enthusiastic 
demonstration. Frank was a little nervous 
lest they be visited by some of the revolution- 
ists, but such did not turn out to be the case. 
And on the third morning thei little steam 


234 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


yacht once more headed down the turbulent 
Magdalena, with a heavy rain promising more 
water to add to the flood, as wet weather had 
seemingly set in again. 

They met with no difficulties on the way 
down. Apparently the camp of the revolu- 
tionists had been moved from its former posi- 
tion at the narrows of the river. It might be 
those in charge had taken the alarm and feared 
lest a government force must be on the way 
to capture them, after being informed about 
the camp by the spies they had sent up the 
river. 

And Barranquila was finally reached, where 
they halted only long enough to chat a short 
time with Senor J ose, who met them as before 
on the quay and wanted to shake hands with 
the professor. 

Knowing, just how anxious the government 
was to get possession of airships just then, 
Frank did not want to give them any further 
chance to confiscate his neat little craft, under 
some pretense or other. So they left the city 
at the mouth of the Magdalena and steamed 
away, bound once more for Maracaibo, where 
they meant to take steamer for New York, 
New Orleans or any port in the States. 

The last glimpse they had of the river was 
the flood that was pouring out between the 


HOMEWARD BOUND. 


235 


jaws of land marking one of the mouths of 
the Magdalena and making a distinct yellow 
area in the salty waters of the tropical ocean. 

The beloved little aeroplane had been safely 
boxed again and was making the homeward 
voyage in their company. What strange and 
wonderful things it had been through! Andy 
declared that they almost passed belief, and 
he expressed his doubts as to their ever hav- 
ing an opportunity to pilot that same aircraft 
through atmospheric seas as tempestuous as 
those they had experienced in the tropics while 
rescuing the prisoner of the cliff bordered val- 
ley. But then Andy was not gifted with sec- 
ond sight and he could not foresee what the 
wonderful future might have in store for the 
Bird boys. 

They had by this time experienced enough 
of the fascinating new methods of cruising 
in cloudland to want to continue. And it 
stands to reason that other adventures would 
be lying in wait for lads so constituted. 

For the present it must be enough to say 
they arrived safely at good old Bloomsbury 
in due time and that the entire population 
was on hand to greet the party when they 
stepped from the train. Also, the wonderful 
little monoplane, the same that had been equal 
to the test in the race for Old Thunder Top, 


236 


THE BIRD BOYS. 


had to be placed on public exhibition for sev- 
eral days in the town hall, where every man, 
woman and child in all the country around 
could examine and comment on the construc- 
tion of the airship that had brought fame and 
happiness to Frank and Andy Bird. 

In due time Puss and Sandy turned up, 
minus their biplane, which the government of 
Colombia had seized on some plausible pre- 
text, though paying liberally for the same. 
But they were soon at work constructing an- 
other, which they claimed would far exceed 
the one that had been lost. 

Professor Bird by slow degrees recovered 
his health that had been sadly shattered by 
his experience down in that country. But he 
declared that his days were over so far as 
aviation went, and that in the future he must 
be content to take a back seat and see the hon- 
ors of the family carried ofE bj the jounger 
generation — ^the Bird boys. 


THE END, 


1 ALWAYS POR the DONOHUE 

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